Head Coach Nate Oats Announces Henry Barrera as Alabama Men’s Basketball’s Strength & Conditioning Coach
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama men’s basketball head coach Nate Oats announced Tuesday the hiring of Henry Barrera as the men’s basketball strength and conditioning coach.
Barrera comes to Tuscaloosa after spending seven years with Liberty University, serving as the Flames’ men’s basketball director of performance from 2015-18 before being promoted to the director of strength and conditioning for Olympic sports for the final four years in Lynchburg, Va.
“I am thrilled to have Henry and his family join our program,” Oats said. “I’ve known Henry for a long time and we’ve remained in close contact for more than a decade. When it comes to basketball-specific strength and conditioning training, Henry consistently remains on the cutting edge. He has a built-in mindset of continuous growth in that regard, and the results speak for themselves. Henry is also a man of high character and is willing to do anything it takes to help the program be successful. He is a natural fit with our players, and we couldn’t be more excited to welcome him to Tuscaloosa.”
Hired by Liberty men’s basketball head coach Ritchie McKay in 2015, Barrera paid immediate dividends and became an integral part of the program’s unprecedented success across the next seven seasons. The Flames had a combined 166 victories (166-61) over that span, which averaged out to 23.7 wins per season, and a .731 winning percentage. Liberty was equally as good in the ASUN, winning three consecutive regular season and tournament championships (2019, 2020, 2021) and boasted a .722 conference winning percentage (83-32).
In all, the Flames made five postseason appearances, including three NCAA Tournament berths, and recorded six straight 20-plus win seasons. The run was highlighted by the 2019-20 campaign in which Liberty notched a school-record 30 victories (30-4) along with the program’s first-ever NCAA Tournament win (def. Mississippi State Bulldogs 80-76 in 2019 tournament).
“I am really excited to join coach Oats and the Alabama family,” Barrera said. “The history and tradition of Alabama athletics and within the men’s basketball program is powerful. My family and I are very grateful for this opportunity. We are ready to get to work. Roll Tide!”
HENRY BARRERA BIO
- Comes to Tuscaloosa from after serving the past seven seasons (2015-22) as the Liberty Flames’ men’s basketball program’s director of performance
- Held the title of men’s basketball strength coach for three years (2015-18) before being promoted to the director of strength and conditioning for Olympic sports (2018-22)
- The Flames earned a combined 166 (166-61) victories over the span which averaged out to 23.7 wins per season and a .731 winning percentage
- Liberty was equally as good in the ASUN, winning three consecutive regular season and tournament championships (2019, 2020, 2021) and boasted a .722 conference winning percentage (83-32).
- During his stint in Lynchburg, Va.,
- The Flames’ 2019-20 campaign saw a school-record 30 victories (30-4) along with the program’s first-ever NCAA Tournament win (def. Mississippi State Bulldogs 80-76 in 2019 tournament)
- Arrived at Liberty from the state of Oregon, where he was a performance training specialist at Nike World Headquarters in Beaverton
- While there, he was instrumental in designing training content for multiple projects including Jordan Brand’s Terminal 23 in New York and The Hangar in Los Angeles
- Continues to be a consultant with multiple training companies including Nike Basketball, the Jordan Brand, Nike N7, Shoot 360 and multiple others
- Barrera received his associate of arts in 1997 from Yakima Valley Community College where he helped lead them to the 1997 conference championships
- He season
- Wife: Melody
- Children: Maya, Marquez, Malia and Moriah
- Education:
- Liberty University (MS Exercise Science: Human Performance – 2022)
- Concordia University (Master’s of Art, Education – 2009)
- Multnomah University (Bachelor of Science, Education: Health – 2000)
- Yakima Valley Community College (Associate of Arts, 1997
