MARK BARNHART
(Pleasants County)
Mark Barnhart patrolled the sidelines of St. Marys High School boys basketball from 2003-23. During that time, Barnhart compiled an overall record of 277-196 at the school where he graduated from in 1977.
His St. Marys victory total makes him the second winningest coach in program history. In all, Barnhart guided 14 teams to winning records (in the span of 16 seasons) with four reaching the West Virginia High School State Tournament. The final 16 teams he directed during his 20-year stint won 69 percent of their games.
The Blue Devils finished as the Class AA runner-up in 2012. The team set the school record for wins with 25, breaking the old mark of 23 set by the 2009 team, which reached the state semifinals in Class AA.
His 2021-22 squad also won 23 games and was a part of the final four in Class A. One of the key players of that team was his youngest son, Grant, who became the school’s all-time scoring leader with 1,729 points. He broke a 53-year record that was owned by Mike “Moose” Morris.
While leading the program, both Grant Barnhart (2021-22) and Derek Renner (2011-12) earned Little KanawhaConference Player of the Year honors. Coach Barnhart also had the good fortune of guiding his two oldest sons – Derek and Trent – on the basketball court.
Barnhart was the Little Kanawha Conference Coach of the Year in 2012 and 2022. He twice coached in the West Virginia-Ohio Battle Against Cystic Fibrosis All-Star Classic, leading the Mountain State squad.
Following his graduation at SMHS, Barnhart attended Glenville State College. He came back to PleasantsCounty to launch his career. He also worked in Tyler County where he coached basketball and baseball.
Known as a builder in the coaching circles, Barnhart served as the co-director for the local youth basketball camp in Pleasants County for over three decades.
Mid-Ohio Valley Sports Hall of Fame 