Mike Barbee, a 17-year coaching veteran, enters his third season as the head coach of the men's and women's cross country teams for the 2019 season. His first two years at the helm have been successful, leading deep squads to success and earning recognition at the national level. Barbee has also coached the program’s first, school’s second 2X NAIA All-American in Anthony Tyler.
In 2018, the men’s cross country team earned an at-large berth to the NAIA National Championships. The men’s team also checked in at No. 24 in the Top 25 Coaches’ Poll, took first at the Pacific Union Pioneer Invitational and placed second as a team in the California Pacific Conference Championships. All-American Anthony Tyler was the California Pacific Conference Individual Champion, setting the Cal Pac Course record of 25:12 at Woodward Park in Fresno, Calif.
The women’s team placed second at the conference meet, their best finish in program history and qualified a program best three runners for the NAIA National Championships. The qualifiers were Julia-Gionet Gonzales, Karina Martinez and Valentina Cvrk. Additionally, the women’s team took first place at the Pacific Union Pioneer Invitational. Martinez was the individual champion of that meet. A few weeks later, Martinez set the program record with a time of 18:42 at the William Jessup Warrior Invitational.
Eleven student athletes combined on the men’s and women’s team earned all-conference accolades in 2018.
During Barbee’s first season, the men and women finished second and third respectively in the California Pacific Conference Championships race. On the conference level, the fourth cross country coach in program history had three runners earn Cal Pac First Team honors and three earn Cal Pac Second Team honors. Anthony Tyler, Blake Miller, Karina Martinez and Sara Zaldana qualified for the NAIA National Championships.
Prior to UC Merced, Barbee worked with the Florida State University Seminoles' men's distance program as an operations assistant beginning in 2015. Prior to his time at FSU he was the head cross country and track and field coach at Eastern New Mexico University for two years. While leading the ENMU Greyhounds, their success was seen with multiple athletes qualifying for the NCAA Championships including a two-time All-American and 15 school records.Â
Barbee, a Michigan native, was a member of both the cross country and track and field teams at Western Michigan University where he completed his Bachelors of Science degree in Education in 1999. His coaching career started at Corona High School in 2001 as the head boys and girls cross country and track and field coach. During Barbee's tenure at Corona his girls cross country team was unbeaten in dual meet competition for three years and his boys team won two conference titles.
He later advanced his resume while coaching at Riverside Community College for seven seasons (2003-10) as the head women's cross country and track and field coach. Within his time at RCC the cross country team achieved five top-10 team finishes at the state championships, and four times for track. In 2009 he was named the CCCAA Women's Track & field Coach of the Year.Â
Barbee's coaching experience also includes stints at McNeese State University and University of South Alabama. While at South Alabama as the cross country coach and distance assistant he led the 2011 women's cross country team to their best season in more than a decade. Additionally his men and women combined for four new school records.
"We are excited to have Mike lead our cross country program," director of recreation and athletics David Dunham said. “He brings a wealth of experience from different levels which we feel will continue to build upon the success the program has experienced.  Mike's passion for the sport and his energy will allow him to take the cross country program to the next level."
