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1 July 2023
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — A local basketball head coach is moving up the coaching ranks.
Luke Barnwell, now formerly the head coach at Sunrise Christian Academy, announced he is joining the Texas Tech basketball coaching staff as an assistant to first-year head coach Grant McCasland.
“Sunrise has been my heart and soul for a third of my life,” Barnwell said in a statement posted on Twitter. “My life was drastically impacted for the better by being there and so many people have become family to me.”
While at Sunrise, Barnwell coached many players who have gone on to play in the NBA or major college basketball. He coached Gradey Dick and Ochai Agbaji, who both played at Kansas before being drafted into the NBA.
Sunrise Christian was ranked No. 1 in the NIBC in its first year and advanced to the final four of the GEICO High School National Tournament in 2023.
An Emporia, Kansas native, Barnwell played college basketball at Newman University and Emporia State before beginning his coaching career as a student assistant. He graduated from Newman University with a bachelor’s in Sports Communications with an emphasis in coaching.
Barnwell goes to Texas Tech under new head coach McCasland, who was at North Texas prior to taking charge of the Red Raiders. He also joins Matt Braeuer, who played basketball for Wichita State.
“Coach Barnwell has great head coaching experience and has recruited and coached some of the best players around the world,” McCasland said in a news release. “He’s got great basketball feel but his ability to relate to players is what separates him. We are thrilled to have him part of our coaching staff.”