Richard Barron (basketball)

Richard Barron is an American basketball coach who was most recently the head coach of the University of Maine men's basketball team.[1] Barron previously served as the head coach of Maine's women's basketball team from 2011 to 2017 before taking a leave of absence, due to medical issues.[2] Barron is one of the few people to coach both a men's and women's basketball at the NCAA Division I level.[3]

Richard Barron
Biographical details
Born (1969-02-03) February 3, 1969 (age 55)
Playing career
1988–1991Kenyon
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1992–1996Sewanee (men's asst.)
1996–2001Sewanee (women's)
2001–2007Princeton (women's)
2007–2009Baylor (women's asst.)
2009–2011NC State (women's asst.)
2011–2017Maine (women's)
2018–2022Maine (men's)
Head coaching record
Overall21–75 (.219) (men's)
236–228 (.509) (women's)

Coaching career

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Barron got his start in coaching at the high school ranks at Providence Day School as an assistant boys' varsity coach, while also working at the school as a science teacher.[4] He entered college coaching as an assistant men's basketball coach at Sewanee from 1993 to 1996 before taking over as the head women's basketball coach for the Tigers. Barron compiled a 77–48 overall record with Sewanee, leading the school to its first-ever conference championship. He was then named the head women's basketball coach at Princeton, where he posted a 71–91 overall record and led the Tigers to a share of the 2005–06 Ivy League title.[5][6]

After Princeton, Barron became an associate head coach under Kim Mulkey at Baylor from 2007 to 2009 and spent 2009 to 2011 as a women's basketball assistant at NC State.[7]

Maine women's basketball

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On May 10, 2011, Barron became the head women's basketball coach at Maine, where he replaced Cindy Blodgett. In his time with the women's program, Barron helped the Black Bears earn two America East women's basketball regular season titles, and two postseason appearances, while earning America East Coach of the Year honors in 2015. For his efforts, he signed a four-year contract extension with the school in 2016.[8]

In January 2017, Barron took a leave of absence from Maine due to illness and was replaced on an interim basis by assistant coach Amy Vachon. Six months later, he had a successful craniotomy at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles, California.[9] Barron returned to Maine as a special assistant to the director of athletics, in which he assisted with athletic department functions and fundraising, while Vachon continued to coach the women's team on an interim basis.[10]

Maine men's basketball

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On March 2, 2018, Vachon was named the full-time women's basketball coach at Maine, and Barron was named the men's basketball coach, replacing Bob Walsh.[11]

Barron went 21–76 in just under four seasons at the helm, but parted ways with the school on February 17, 2022.[12]

Head coaching record

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Women's

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Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Sewanee Tigers (Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference) (1996–2001)
1996–97 Sewanee 13–12 4–10 6th
1997–98 Sewanee 11–14 4–10 7th
1998–99 Sewanee 15–10 12–6 4th
1999–00 Sewanee 20–5 14–4 3rd
2000–01 Sewanee 18–7 14–4 T–1st
Sewanee: 77–48 (.616) 48–34 (.585)
Princeton Tigers (Ivy League) (2001–2007)
2001–02 Princeton 11–16 5–9 7th
2002–03 Princeton 9–19 4–10 T–5th
2003–04 Princeton 7–20 4–10 7th
2004–05 Princeton 13–14 5–9 T–5th
2005–06 Princeton 21–7 12–2 T–1st
2006–07 Princeton 13–15 7–7 T–4th
Princeton: 74–91 (.448) 37–47 (.440)
Maine Black Bears (America East Conference) (2011–2017)
2011–12 Maine 8–23 4–12 8th
2012–13 Maine 4–24 3–12 9th
2013–14 Maine 17–15 10–6 4th
2014–15 Maine 23–9 14–2 1st WNIT First Round
2015–16 Maine 26–9 15–1 T–1st WNIT First Round
2016–17 Maine 7–9 0–1 4th
Maine: 85–93 (.489) 46–34 (.575)

Medical leave of absence, Vachon took over on interim basis.

Total: 236–228 (.509)

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

Men's

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Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Maine Black Bears (America East Conference) (2018–2022)
2018–19 Maine 5–27 3–13 8th
2019–20 Maine 9–21 5–11 8th
2020–21 Maine 2–7 2–6 10th
2021–22 Maine 5–20 2–12
Maine: 21–75 (.219) 12–42 (.222)
Total: 21–75 (.219)

References

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  1. ^ "Barron named UMaine men's basketball head coach following Walsh's decision not to extend contract - Maine, University of". Maine, University of. 5 March 2018.
  2. ^ Lee, Travis (2017-04-05). "Amy Vachon named UMaine interim women's basketball coach next season". WMTW. Retrieved 2017-04-06.
  3. ^ John Feinstein (2019-01-11). "Coaching both men's and women's basketball is rare. How Richard Barron did it is amazing". The Washington Post. Washington, D.C. ISSN 0190-8286. OCLC 1330888409.
  4. ^ "Player Bio: Richard Barron :: Women's Basketball". goprincetontigers.cstv.com.
  5. ^ "BaylorBears.com Richard Barron Bio - Baylor University Official Athletic Site Baylor University Official Athletic Site - Women's Basketball".
  6. ^ "WBkb Year by Year History 17-18" (PDF). s3.amazonaws.com. 2018.
  7. ^ "Barron Named Asst. Women's Basketball Coach". NC State University.
  8. ^ Mahoney, Larry (April 13, 2016). "UMaine women's basketball coach Barron signs 4-year extension". Bangor Daily News. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
  9. ^ McLaughlin, Ryan (July 13, 2017). "UMaine women's basketball coach undergoes successful skull surgery". Bangor Daily News. Retrieved 14 July 2017.
  10. ^ "Richard Barron Named Special Assistant to the Director of Athletics - Maine, University of". Maine, University of. December 2017.
  11. ^ "Vachon signs four-year head coaching contract with UMaine". Maine, University of. 2 March 2018.
  12. ^ "Maine, Richard Barron part ways after four seasons". Coaches Database. 17 February 2022.
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