Barnes Turned Defense Into Offense for Lady Scots' Lacrosse Team

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.