Tide Women's Basketball Signs Harriet Barnes
4/25/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
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TUSCALOOSA – University of Alabama head women’s basketball coach Stephany Smith announced the signing of Harriet Barnes to a national letter-of-intent to play for the Crimson Tide next season.
Barnes, a 6-2 post player, becomes the first signee for Alabama during the NCAA’s annual spring signing period as well as the first signee for Smith at UA.
“We are excited to have Harriet joining us,” said Smith, who was hired on April 13. “She is a player that the previous staff heavily recruited and she made a verbal commitment to them and we wanted to honor that promise. I am really looking forward to getting the chance to coach Harriet because she comes with some tremendous credentials. We are thrilled to have her as part of our program.”
A native of Birmingham, Ala., Barnes comes to the Capstone following a stellar two-year career at Wallace State Community College in Hanceville, Ala. The Player of the Year for Wallace, Barnes led her squad to a 20-6 record this season. She averaged 16.5 points, 11.5 rebounds, 1.7 blocks and 1.2 steals per game en route to garnering NJCAA second-team All-American honors. A two-time All North Region XXII selection, Barnes was named to the ACCC Division I All-Tournament squad this year.
Wallace State reached the semifinals of the Alabama Community College Conference (ACCC) tournament before losing to eventual champion Gadsden State. Barnes scored 24 points and grabbed 21 rebs in the game with Gadsden. She finished her sophomore campaign with 17 double-doubles.
Prior to her playing career at Wallace State, Barnes was a four-year prep standout at Wenonah High School. She earned back-to-back first-team 6A All-State accolades during her junior and senior seasons at WHS. Barnes averaged 16.7 points per game her junior year and 15.2 as a senior.
Barnes joins early Bama signees Kiana Robinson and LaQwesha Gamble as part of the incoming class of Crimson Tide players in 2005-06.
