Phil Barnes begins his first year with the Cornell women's lacrosse program looking to add his experience into what has already proven to be a winning formula for the Big Red.
Barnes comes to Ithaca with extensive assistant and head coaching experience. He spent the last three seasons as the head coach of the women's lacrosse team at the University of Massachusetts, directing the team to the 2000 Atlantic 10 regular season and tournament crowns. That squad finished the year ranked first nationally in scoring defense, while his starting goalkeeper led the country in save percentage and goals against average. He took over the head coaching duties after spending two years as an assistant coach at UMass, helping the Minutewomen to a 1998 ECAC tournament appearance and ranking in the top 10 nationally in scoring defense.
Barnes went to UMass from Holy Cross, where he served as head coach for two seasons. During his tenure, he was named Patriot League Coach of the Year in 1996 and recruited the school's all-time leading scorer and three All-Patriot team members.
A 1995 graduate of Assumption College, Barnes began his coaching career as an assistant coach at his alma mater. He also served as the men's varsity assistant coach at Souhegan High School in Amherst, N.H. Barnes played collegiate lacrosse while at Assumption.
He has served as an instructor at lacrosse camps at the University of North Carolina, Syracuse and Maryland. Barnes was a member of the 1997 Northeast region All-America committee. He was also a selector for the 2000 and 2001 North/South All-Star games. Barnes chaired the NCAA Northeast Regional Ranking Committee in 2001 and 2002 and was a member of the Northeast Regional All-America Committee both of those years.
