JUSTIN BARKLEY BASKETBALL CAMPS
HEAD COACH | JUSTIN BARKLEY
Justin Barkley has been at the helm of the Rogers State men's basketball program for more than a decade, wrapping up his 12th season as the head coach in 2021-22. Barkley's tenure with the Hillcats has been measured with excellence, leading the program to 11 winning seasons and the Hillcats first-ever NCAA Tournament in 2019-20. The Hillcats earned an at-large bid after finishing second in RSU's debut season in the MIAA. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the NCAA canceled the National Tournament days before the tournament was set to get underway.
Rogers State has hit several milestones during the MIAA-era, including the highest-ranked victory in the NCAA era for the program, as the Hillcats snapped No. 11 Missouri Southern's 26-game home win streak. The win helped propel the Hillcats to their first-ever NCAA-era top 25 ranking at No. 23 two weeks later. The Hillcats have climbed as high as No. 15 in the NCAA-era under Barkley.
Under Barkley's guidance, the Hillcats finished second in the regular season standings in their first season in the MIAA, often referred to as the toughest league in Division II, behind only No. 1 and defending national champion Northwest Missouri State.
Barkley became the third head coach in the program's history after being promoted to the role in the spring of 2010 and has continued a winning tradition over the last decade leading the Hillcats.
In his 10 seasons guiding the program, Barkley has led the Hillcats to at least 16 wins each season, never having a losing record, reaching the 20-win plateau seven times. RSU has been dominant on its home floor at the Claremore Expo Center posting a 119-25 record during Barkley's tenure for a .826 winning percentage.
Since being named the head coach in April 2010, Barkley has compiled an overall record of 207-94 for a .688 winning percentage. Barkley eclipsed the 200-win milestone on Januray 29, 2020 with an 80-72 win on the road at Pittsburg State.
Barkley coached three-straight Heartland Conference Player of the Year recipients: Jeylyn Sharpe (2016-17), JC Hartzler (2015-16) and Frederico Santos (2014-15). Overall, he has also coached three All-Americans, five all-region/district honorees, three players of the year, one newcomer of the year, 24 all-conference selections and 12 conference player of the week selections.
Under Barkley, the Hillcats advanced to the Heartland Conference Tournament in all three seasons that Rogers State was eligible for NCAA Division II postseason, including a trip to the Heartland Conference semifinals in 2019.
He led the Hillcats to the first-ever Heartland Conference regular season team championship in the 2015-16 season winning the league with a 15-5 record. Following an 11-0 start, RSU clinched the title with an exciting rally in a 97-94 double overtime win at second-place Dallas Baptist in the final game of the regular season, leading to his honor as coach of the year.
During his first season, Barkley steered RSU through a memorable stretch run, as the team won 17 of the final 23 games of the regular season, allowing the Hillcats to streak to the NAIA Quarterfinals finishing with a record of 22-12. He led the team to the 2012 NAIA Quarterfinals for the second-consecutive season as RSU tallied a 24-9 record. In 2013, RSU tallied its sixth-straight, 20-win season with a 21-12 overall record.
Barkley, who served as the Hillcats' assistant coach from 2008-2010, became the third head coach in the brief history of the program when he took over in 2010. He helped guide the Hillcats to a 52-13 record as an assistant where they claimed the school's first Sooner Athletic Conference regular season championship, reached the NAIA National Tournament, and achieved a No. 1 national ranking in 2008-09.
The Inola, Oklahoma native began his coaching career as a graduate assistant under Head Coach Larry Gipson at his alma mater, Northeastern State, following a storied playing career. He later spent two seasons as an assistant at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M, where he helped the Golden Norsemen to a 27-9 record and their first national tournament appearance in 16 years.
As a player, Barkley led Inola High School to a state championship under the direction of his father in 1998. He continued his playing career at NSU, where he spurred the Redmen to a Division II National Championship in 2003.
He is married to the former Emily Warren, and holds a Bachelor of Science in Education and a master’s degree in Health and Kinesiology. The couple has one daughter, Sutton.