GENERAL: GNAC's Kristin Barrett Named Women's Basketball Director Of Basketball Operations At Monmouth University

Winthrop, Mass. - The Great Northeast Athletic Conference is proud to announce that former Assistant to the Commissioner Kristin Barrett began her first season as Director of Basketball Operations for Monmouth Women's Basketball in the summer of 2026. Barrett joins the Hawks after serving as a volunteer assistant coach with Providence College Women's Basketball during the 2025-26 season. Working closely with the Friars' guard position group, Barrett supported skill development, film study, and game preparation while assisting in the development of First Team All-BIG EAST selection Sabou Gueye. She also played an integral role in scouting, player development, recruiting operations, and day-to-day basketball operations as Providence earned the No. 7 seed in the BIG EAST Tournament for the second consecutive season after being selected to finish 10th in the preseason poll.

Barrett attended the WeCOACH Women Coaches Academy in Denver during the spring of 2026, which solidified her drive to coaching student-athletes at the collegiate level. Barrett says, "The WeCOACH NCAA Women's Coaches Academy reinforced why I chose a career in college athletics. Being surrounded by accomplished women who were so willing to share their experiences and invest in one another reminded me of the power of mentorship and community. I left feeling inspired, empowered, and even more motivated to make a positive impact on the student-athletes and programs I serve."

In addition to her previous work at Providence, Barrett served for two years as Assistant to the Commissioner for the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) through the NCAA Division III Ethnic Minority and Women's Internship Grant. During her tenure, she contributed to conference championship administration, strategic planning initiatives, officiating recruitment efforts, compliance projects, and daily conference operations.

Barrett helped coordinate the conference's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), supervised conference interns, and organized conference championships, leadership programming, and professional development events. She also spearheaded diversity, equity, and inclusion education for student-athlete leaders at the GNAC SAAC Leadership Seminar in consecutive years and led the planning and execution of the conference's Mental Health Educational Seminar for coaches, athletics administrators, and student-athletes.

Commissioner Joe Walsh had high praises for Barrett for the tremendous work she did for the conference, saying “Kristin joins a prestigious list of interns who started their careers through the Great Northeast Athletic Conference. I have every confidence that Kristin will be successful and I also know I’ll call upon her someday to help someone else up the ladder.”

Barrett has been selected to participate in several nationally recognized leadership and professional development programs, including the NCAA Emerging Leaders Seminar and the WeCOACH Women Coaches Academy. She has also represented collegiate athletics at multiple NCAA Conventions and national leadership events throughout her career.

Kristin’s endless commitment to the conference gave her the opportunity to not only grow individually but build a great bond with her teammates in the conference office, embodying the values of the GNAC. She said, “It's hard to put into words what Commissioner Joe Walsh has meant to me. He wasn't just my boss or my mentor—he became family. He pushed me to be better, celebrated my successes, picked me up during challenges, and always reminded me of what I was capable of. I'll forever be thankful for his belief in me and for the lasting impact he's had on both my career and my life. Maria and Janard have also played an incredible role in my journey. They became more than just coworkers—they also became family. Their friendship, guidance, and unwavering support meant the world to me. Together, Joe, Maria, and Janard gave me opportunities to grow, believed in me when I needed it most, and helped shape not only
the professional I am today, but the person I am as well. I will always be grateful for each of them, and I know the relationships we built through the GNAC will stay with me for the rest of my life."

A former student-athlete at Regis College, Barrett served as team captain and was a two-time GNAC champion, All-GNAC performer, College Sports Communicators Academic All-District selection, and recipient of the Female Senior Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award. A native of Massachusetts, Barrett graduated Valedictorian from Regis College in 2024 with a Bachelor of Arts in Marketing and Communication and 4.0 cumulative GPA. She earned her Master of Arts in Strategic Sports Communication from Regis College in 2025.

ABOUT THE GREAT NORTHEAST ATHLETIC CONFERENCE

The Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) is an NCAA Division III association made up of 14 member institutions and over 4000 student-athletes across the New England region. Founded in 1995, the GNAC annually sponsors and administers 20 championships, while balancing academic integrity, athletic opportunity and community involvement in an effort to enhance the student-athlete experience.

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