Kendall Barnes

Position:
Outside Hitter
Height:
6-1
Class:
Freshman
High School:
Briarcrest Christian School
Hometown:
Bartlett, TN

Career Notes Entering 2024 Season:
• Played in 24 of a possible 32 matches over her Ball State career
• Has seen action in 56 of a possible 120 sets
• Credited with double-digit kills in five career matches

2023 (Fr.): Earned first letter at Ball State ... played in 25 matches, making eight starts … saw action in 77 of a possible 120 sets … recorded double-digit kills in five of Ball State’s final seven matches … tied for team-high honors with a career high 17 kills in the NIVC victory at Middle Tennessee (Nov. 30) … also hit a career-best .552 (17-1-29) in the win … followed with 13 kills the next day in the five-set loss to Clemson (Dec. 1) … registered 14 kills in the series opener versus NIU (Nov. 10), while collecting 11 kills in the MAC Tournament quarterfinal match up with Bowling Green (Nov. 18) … reached double digit kills for the first time with 10 at Western Michigan (Nov. 4), while adding a career-high seven digs and serving up a career-best two aces … recorded at least one kill in 21 matches … finished the season with 20 digs and three aces … also secured 13 total blocks on the year, including a career-high three block assists in the MAC Tournament match up versus BGSU.

Phillips on Barnes: We are excited to welcome Kendall to the Cardinal Family. She is a physical pin attacker that plays high and hits hard. I love her range of shots and her confidence at the net. She also has a powerful serve that can score a ton of points at the end line. She continues to improve her all around passing and defending game each time I see her. She's a competitor and knows how to win and I'm excited to add her to our program.

Career Highlights: A three-year letterwinner in volleyball for coach Carrie Yerty at Briarcrest Christian … helped guide the Saints to Tennessee Division II AA State Championships as a sophomore and senior … the 2022 State Tournament MVP, she also earned first team all-state as a junior and senior … captained Briarcrest to a 37-6 record her senior season, smashing 396 kills and hitting .333 … finished her career with 755 kills, a .314 attack percentage, 292 digs, 131 aces and 99 total blocks … team finished the 2021 season at state runner-up with a 40-3 overall record … also finished her career as a two-time all-region and two-time all-metro selection … played club volleyball for the Memphis Metro 18 Masters.

Why Ball State: The team and campus had a family-like feel that was super welcoming. It was also fun to watch all of the players and coaches have a great time doing something they all loved.