EWU’s Barnes will interview at Fresno

For the second time in four years, Eastern Washington University athletic director Scott Barnes will interview for the same job at his alma mater.

Barnes will meet with officials from Fresno State next week at an off-campus site.

Barnes was a finalist when FSU promoted Scott Johnson from within the department on Jan 7, 2002. Johnson, who was born in Weiser, Idaho, and worked at Fresno State for 24 years, announced he was retiring in February and Paul Oliario has served as the interim A.D. since.

“I don’t know the timetable or how many (will be interviewed),” said Barnes, who has been the EWU athletic director since July 1, 1999.

“Fresno State is obviously a unique situation,” Barnes said. “Both my wife and I were student-athletes there and we have family there. From a career standpoint, I feel like my abilities fit what they need.”

Barnes, 42, and his wife, Jody, have three degrees between them from Fresno State, where Barnes played basketball.

“All of us in athletics, if it fits within our career, aspire to work at our alma maters,” he said. “We’re extremely happy at Eastern and we’ve enjoyed our time here, and we look forward to continuing here.”

Barnes has been a finalist at Colorado State, Wyoming and Northern Illinois as well as Fresno State in recent years. He withdrew as a candidate for the Northern Illinois job last summer after negotiating a new contract with EWU.

“I felt an obligation to (EWU president) Dr. (Stephen) Jordan for stepping up when I was a finalist for Northern Illinois ,” Barnes said. “His leaving (for Metro State) has made it easier for me to move forward with this unique opportunity.”

Barnes was born in Spokane and his family moved to Kennewick before the family moved to California. He graduated from Liberty-Union High School in Brentwood, Calif., and played basketball at Eastern Montana College in Billings for two seasons before transferring. His parents returned to Spokane more than 10 years ago.

Barnes was athletic director at Humboldt State in Arcata, Calif., for two years prior to coming to Eastern. Before that, he was in the athletic department at Iowa State (1994-97), Pacific (1990-94) and the University of San Diego (1989-90).

After graduating from FSU in 1986, he played professional basketball in Germany and was general manager of the Fresno Flames of the World Basketball League (1988-89). He received his master’s from FSU in 1993.