It may be hard to tell from her statistics, but Tamra Barnes Kinzer
was a defensive standout for The College of Wooster women’s
lacrosse team from 1990-93. That’s because Barnes completed
her career with the Lady Scots, having scored 103 goals and totaled
123 points, which were the fourth-best in each category upon her
graduation and currently rank No. 12 in school history.
“Tammy was the workhorse of the team at midfield,”
former head coach Brenda Meese said recently. “She was really
capable of coming from the defensive end of the field and
transitioning into offense, against some really tough competition
at times.”
The native of Elkins, N.H. (Kearsarge Regional H.S.) earned the
starting position at center, which is responsible for the draw
control as well as playing both defense and attack, as a freshman
due to her high-level of conditioning and speed. Barnes made a name
for herself right away, tallying 22 points, including a career-high
seven assists, en route to a second-team all-North Coast Athletic
Conference selection.
Barnes continued to thrive during her sophomore and junior
seasons. She scored 20-plus goals and was named to the
Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches’ Association
All-Midwest Region First Team each year, in addition to more
all-NCAC accolades.
As a senior, Barnes continued at the center position, but took on
a more offensive role, and in so doing, took her game to another
level. The new role helped lead Barnes to nearly doubling her
previous high for goals in a season, as she found the back of the
net 46 times, including seven goals during the second half at
Oberlin College on April 13. She had eight that game, equaling a
team record, which still stands today.
For her efforts that season, which also included being team
captain of a group that went from 2-12 the year before to 8-4 and
in second-place in the NCAC, Barnes was voted a third-team
All-American by the IWLCA, as well as first-team all-region and
first-team all-conference.
Lacrosse was not Barnes’ lone sport at Wooster, as she also
played a couple of seasons with the field hockey team. She started
as a sophomore and totaled 16 points (4 goals, 8 assists) during 29
career games played.
“I’d describe my athletic career at Wooster to be a
wonderful experience,” reflected a modest Barnes. “I
greatly appreciate the opportunity I had to be part of a team. What
makes the experience memorable are the teammates, the coaches, the
friendships formed, and the great school spirit. I am also grateful
for all the invaluable lessons learned and experiences gained that
sports and teamwork teach you.”
Following graduation, Barnes, who earned a bachelor’s degree
in Spanish, coached at the collegiate level for four years, first
as an assistant at Denison University. She then returned to her
alma mater and was even the head coach of the Lady Scots in 1996
and 1997, leading those teams to a 15-15 record. Next, she moved on
to become a national sales manager for Mesa International for eight
years.
Barnes, currently a stay-at-home mom, married Edward Kinzer. They
are the proud parents of two young sons, Eddie, who will be two in
November, and Bragen, who was just born in August.
