Tony Barbee facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Tony Barbee

Barbee at Kentucky's 2015 Blue-White scrimmage
Biographical details
Born	(1971-08-10) August 10, 1971 (age 54) Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.
Playing career
1989–1993	UMass
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1995–1998	UMass (GA/assistant)
1998–1999	Wyoming (assistant)
1999–2000	UMass (assistant)
2000–2006	Memphis (assistant)
2006–2010	UTEP
2010–2014	Auburn
2014–2021	Kentucky (assistant)
2021–2025	Central Michigan
Head coaching record
Overall	166–185 (.473)
Tournaments	0–1 (NCAA Division I) 3–2 (CBI)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
C-USA regular season (2010)
Awards
Player Atlantic 10 All-Freshman team (1990) 2× Second-team All-Atlantic 10 (1991, 1993) Coach C-USA Coach of the Year (2010) MAC Coach of the Year (2024)

Tony Barbee (born August 10, 1971) is an American college basketball coach. He recently served as the head coach for the Central Michigan team. Before that, he was the head coach at Auburn and UTEP. In 2010, Barbee led UTEP to a Conference USA championship and was named Coach of the Year for the conference. As a college player, Barbee played for Massachusetts under coach John Calipari. He helped UMass win two Atlantic 10 championships in 1992 and 1993.

Early Life and College Playing Career

Barbee was born in Indianapolis, Indiana. He grew up cheering for the Butler University Bulldogs. Even though Butler wanted him to play for them, Barbee chose to play for the University of Massachusetts (UMass).

Playing for UMass

During his four years at UMass, Barbee was a strong scorer. He scored double-digit points every year. He finished his college career with a total of 1,643 points. The Atlantic 10 recognized his talent. They named him to the league's Freshman Team in 1989–90. He was also named to the Second Team in 1990–91 and 1992–93.

While Barbee played, the UMass Minutemen had a great record. They won 91 games and lost 39. They also played in two NITs and two NCAA Tournaments. Barbee graduated in 1993 with a degree in Sports Management. After college, he played professional basketball in Spain and France.

Becoming an Assistant Coach

In 1995, Barbee returned to college basketball. He became a graduate assistant at UMass, working with his former teammate Derek Kellogg. That year, the Minutemen reached the Final Four, which was a first for their program. When John Calipari moved to the NBA, Barbee was promoted to assistant coach. He stayed with UMass for two more seasons.

Coaching at Wyoming and Memphis

Barbee spent the 1998–99 season as an assistant coach at Wyoming. He then returned to UMass for one more year. After that, he joined Coach Calipari again, this time at Memphis, starting in 2000. At Memphis, Barbee became known as a great recruiter. He spent six years with the Tigers. During that time, the team had a record of 148 wins and 59 losses.

In 2002, Barbee received a letter of reprimand from the University of Memphis. This was for an incident during a game where he pushed an Arkansas player. Barbee was also asked to write apologies to the Arkansas coach and player.

Returning to Kentucky

Barbee joined Coach Calipari once more for the 2014–2015 season. This time, he was at the University of Kentucky. He worked as a Special Assistant to the Head Coach. In this role, Barbee helped with game plans and practice sessions. With his help, the Kentucky Wildcats had an amazing season. They were the first team in NCAA history to start a season with 38 wins and no losses. They also won the SEC regular-season and tournament titles. The team reached the Final Four for the fourth time in five seasons. Six players from that team were later chosen in the NBA draft.

Head Coaching Roles

UTEP Miners (2006–2010)

Barbee became the head coach of the UTEP Miners on August 14, 2006. He was the first African-American head coach in UTEP men's basketball history. This was a special moment for the program. UTEP's 1966 team, then called Texas Western, was the first team with five African-American starters to win a championship game. They defeated an all-white team from Kentucky.

Barbee coached the Miners for four seasons. The team got better each year. The 2009–10 season was the best during his time there. The Miners made it to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in five seasons. They also won their regular season conference title. Barbee was named the C-USA Coach of the Year for his success. Under Barbee's leadership, the Miners won 82 games and lost 52.

Auburn Tigers (2010–2014)

Barbee coaching in 2013

Tony Barbee was named the head coach of the Auburn men's basketball team on March 24, 2010. He was the first black head men's or women's basketball coach at Auburn.

Barbee's first game as Auburn's coach was a close loss. They lost to UNC Asheville 70–69 in overtime. This was also the first men's basketball game played in Auburn Arena. Barbee got his first win in the fourth game of his first season, beating Middle Tennessee 68–66. Even with a tough start, his first Auburn team played well in the SEC. His former coach, John Calipari, even said Barbee should be considered for SEC Coach of the Year.

Despite showing promise, Barbee never had a winning season at Auburn. His best record was 15 wins and 16 losses in the 2011–12 season. In the 2012–13 season, Auburn lost 16 of 17 SEC games. They had another losing season in 2013–14.

During Barbee's time at Auburn, some players left the team. Of the 21 players he signed, only 9 remained on his roster in his fourth season. Barbee was fired on March 12, 2014. This happened right after Auburn lost in the first round of the SEC tournament to South Carolina. He finished his time at Auburn with 49 wins and 75 losses. This was the lowest winning percentage for any Auburn head coach who coached for more than two seasons.

Central Michigan Chippewas (2021–2025)

On April 23, 2021, Tony Barbee was announced as the new head coach for the Central Michigan Chippewas Men's Basketball team. He took over from Keno Davis. The program had not been in the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament since 2003. After four seasons, with an overall record of 49 wins and 75 losses, he was fired on April 3, 2025.

Coaching Records

Career Player Statistics