Barnes selected as assistant coach

The IU women's basketball program added a new piece to the puzzle in hopes of securing a successful future for the team. Former IU player Quacy Barnes was tabbed an assistant coach to the team Monday. Barnes starred for the Hoosiers from 1994 to 1998 and was the first Hoosier ever to play in the WNBA. Barnes highlighted the intangibles she will utilize in her new job.\n"I feel I bring two things to the IU women's basketball program," Barnes said. "First, my experience gained when I played at IU. Second, we have ten young players and I feel I will be comfortable working with them. I can help them greatly with all the experience I've gained both professionally overseas and in the WNBA, and especially with playing at IU."\nBarnes was drafted by the Sacramento Monarchs in the 1998 WNBA Draft with the 22nd overall pick. Barnes also played for the Seattle Storm for the 2000 and 2001 seasons. The first-team All-Big Ten honoree in 1998 finished her WNBA career with the Phoenix Mercury in 2002. She said she left the WNBA because she really wanted the opportunity to get into coaching and added that she did not want to be a part of the business side of the league anymore. \nBesides her WNBA experience, Barnes also played professionally in Turkey, South Korea, Italy, Israel and China.\nCoach Kathi Bennett, who just completed her third season at IU, said she is eager to see what Barnes can do as a coach.\n"We're very excited to have Quacy join our coaching staff," Bennett said in a press release. "She has a passion for the game and her experiences both at IU and in the WNBA make her a valuable asset to our program. We have some young post players on the team and she is going to be able to help them develop."\nBeing an assistant coach at IU is nothing new for Barnes. For part of the 1999 season, she moved into a graduate assistant coaching position. She worked primarily with a group of post players that included 2002 WNBA draftee Jill Chapman, who was selected by the Detroit Shock.\nBarnes described how she landed the job and her willingness to be a coach.\n"I called Kathi. IU was home for me," Barnes said. "It was a career change. I just wanted to get into coaching."\nBarnes had a very successful college basketball career. Her 269 career blocked shots is a school record and ranks as the second-highest total in Big Ten history.\nIn addition, she ranks eighth on IU's all-time scoring list with 1,428 career points. Her protégé, Chapman, recorded 1,366 career points. Barnes' career total of 640 rebounds is good for seventh on the Hoosier's all-time list.\nIU assistant coach Paul Nixon referred to Barnes' experience as a frontcourt player.\n"Quacy brings some very unique experiences," Nixon said. "She'll be able to provide different perspectives on what's going on. She spent her entire career in the post and the other staff members are mostly guards, so she'll be able help the post players. Also, the players will feel very comfortable with her because she played at IU and has been in their shoes." \nBarnes' administrative responsibilities will include overseeing the ordering of equipment, recruiting, scouting opponents and working with the post players, according to a press release. In addition, she will be involved heavily in all aspects of the Indiana Girls' Basketball Camps.\nBarnes detailed what she can contribute to the program and highlighted her professional experience as a valuable resource.\n"With my professional background I have a lot of different strategies that I can bring to the team," Barnes said. "I can give my opinions to the coaching staff. This game is the same game that I played when I was in college, but many things have changed and different strategies can be used nowadays"