A new coach has been found to lead the Oral Roberts University men’s basketball team into the program’s next chapter. Kory Barnett becomes the 13th head coach of the men’s program at ORU and he was introduced to the community at a media conference on Monday.
“We are excited to welcome Kory Barnett as our new men’s head basketball coach,” said Dr. William M. Wilson, President of ORU. “Kory is a great young man with a bright future in basketball and in life. His deep commitment to Christ and to developing student-athletes both on and off the court fits perfectly at ORU. There are great days ahead for ORU men’s basketball.”
Barnett joins the Golden Eagles after serving as an Assistant Coach on Darian DeVries’ staff at West Virginia this past year. Barnett helped lead the Mountaineers to a 19-13 record during the 2024-25 season. Prior to WVU, Barnett spent five seasons at Nevada and six seasons at UCLA, working for coach Steve Alford at both places.
“Among an extremely deep and talented candidate pool, we were incredibly impressed with Kory Barnett,” said ORU Athletic Director Tim Johnson. “From playing at Indiana to serving as an assistant at UCLA, Nevada, and West Virginia, Kory’s background is basketball rich. His career includes five Sweet 16’s, multiple conference championships, and he has developed and recruited over 20 NBA players. He wants to play fast with a defensive mentality that will translate into conference championships. More importantly, he will develop a team that ORU can truly be proud of, both on and off the court. The best is yet to come.”
Although this is Barnett’s first NCAA head coaching position, he has been on several teams’ radar for quite some time. Recently, he was recognized on Silver Waves Media’s “75 Rising Stars: Impactful Men’s Mid-Major Assistants” list and was an honored guest at the “Elite 50 Power Future Head Coaches Invitational” in April 2024.
“It is an honor to accept the head men’s basketball position at Oral Roberts University,” Barnett was quoted in a press release. “I could not be more grateful to Dr. Wilson and Tim Johnson for the opportunity to take over such a special and historic program. I’m humbled to follow in the footsteps of the incredible coaches and players who have helped build the proud tradition of ORU basketball. My staff and I will work tirelessly to build a championship program that will make each and every Golden Eagle proud. Our mission will be to develop men of high character, compete at the highest level, and pursue excellence in everything we do—mind, body, and spirit. The passion and energy our team plays with will be felt every single possession.”
Barnett is a native of Rochester, Indiana, and played at University of Indiana from 2009 to 2012, helping the Hoosiers return to the postseason for the first time since 2008 and reach the NCAA Sweet 16 in his senior year. He earned three Academic All-Big Ten honors and was nominated for the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award after his junior season. Following his playing career, Barnett served as a graduate assistant at Indiana in 2012-13, contributing to the Hoosiers’ Big Ten regular-season championship and another Sweet 16 run.
“We need every one of you to help make the Mabee Center one of the loudest and most electric environments in all of Oklahoma next season,” Barnett said. “God has blessed my family and me beyond belief, and we cannot express the excitement we feel to join this amazing community. From the moment we stepped on campus, we felt a sense of purpose and calling. This isn’t just a job, it’s a ministry, a mission, and a family. We can’t wait to get started. Let’s build something unforgettable together. Go Golden Eagles!”
Barnett holds a bachelor’s degree in sports communications from Indiana. He and his wife, Sarah, have two sons, Brooks and Blake.