Brittany Barney, '09, uses skills learned on and off the court in her professional and personal life
Summer camp is a rite of passage for many American teens, but for Brittany (Fowler) Barney basketball camp at Colorado Mesa University was truly life changing.
It was at camp that she met Beau Barney, her future husband, and then CMU Women’s Basketball Head Coach Steve Kirkham.
After seeing Barney play, Kirkham made her an early offer.
“CMU was close to home and I thought I’d have an opportunity to play right away,” she said.
Still, even she was surprised when the starting point guard left the team handing her the starting position from day one.
As for Barney’s future husband, he too was a basketball player attending CMU’s summer camp. While he went on to play in Idaho, the couple stayed in touch. Today, they have three children, Hayden, Knox and Crew. All of their children play soccer, although Hayden is starting basketball.
Sports have always been important to Barney and her family but her decision to play basketball was a bit unorthodox. The granddaughter of a longtime collegiate golf coach, she chose the court over the links.
Barney considers herself both “blessed and lucky” to have had the opportunity to play basketball while getting an education.
“There were coaches who believed in me and then professors who set me up to succeed at life after basketball,” she said.
Graduating in 2009 with a Bachelor in Business Administration with a concentration in finance, Barney currently works in private equity. It’s a position that requires many hats especially when juggling her professional duties with parenting and homeschooling.
“The skills I learned at CMU are the skills I’m still using today,” said Barney. “Sports don’t last forever, but an education will.”
BRITTANY BARNEY
Graduation Year: 2009
Hometown: Longmont, Colorado
Profession: Business coordinator at Grey Mountain Partners
Most Memorable Book: Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance
Favorite Vacation Location: Hawaii
Hobbies: Hiking and enjoying the Colorado outdoors with her children
Favorite CMU Professor: Morgan Bridge, PhD (business)
Accomplishments:
• RMAC West Division Player of the Year
• Four-time RMAC All-Conference Selection
• Daktronics 2nd Team, All-Region Selection
• Second in All-Time Points Scored (1594)
• Second in All-Time Steals (201)
• Second in All-Time Three-Point Field Goal Percentage (39.2)
• One of two Mavericks with a Top-10 All-Time Rank in four categories
• Being a working mom to three kids