Barbara Burnett enters her second season as the head softball coach at her alma mater after being named to the position on May 22, 2014. The former Bulldog player and SWOSU alum had previously spent four seasons as the head softball coach at Independence (Kan.) Community College.
SWOSU struggled to a record of 8-37 in Burnett’s first season, highlighted by a series win against rival Northwestern Oklahoma State as the Bulldogs defeated the Rangers three times in their four-game series. SWOSU was led by senior first baseman Adrienne Martinez, who earned All-Great American Conference honors for the second consecutive season as she garnered a second team selection.
Before coming to SWOSU, Burnett orchestrated a phenomenal turnaround of the Independence softball team, leading the Lady Pirates to a 42-16 record – the winningest in program history – this season and back-to-back regional runner-up finishes. She took over at Independence just prior to the 2011 season and after struggling to a 4-37 record that spring she took the Lady Pirates to the regional tournament for the first time after a 21-win improvement in her second season. She earned her 100th win at Independence during this past season and she leaves as the school’s winningest coach with a 112-100 record.
The 2012 season began a string of three consecutive seasons that Independence hosted a home playoff game, a feat not previously accomplished at the school. She also tutored her first All-American in 2012 and she had another earn the honors in 2013. All total, Burnett has coached two National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) All-Americans, two National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Americans, 16 NJCAA All-Region players and 13 student-athletes who have earned All-Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference (KJCCC) honors. In addition, she has had four players earn an Academic All-America distinction from the NFCA.
Her teams at Independence have rewritten the Lady Pirate record books and set many program firsts. In the past two seasons, her squads have set nine single-season batting records – including home runs (71) and hits (680) – and six single-season pitching records, including ERA (2.82) and strikeouts (325). Her 2014 team was one of the most dynamic offenses in the nation, ranking among the top five nationally in runs, hits, home runs, doubles and RBIs while one her pitchers led the country in strikeouts. Independence reached the national rankings for the first time in program history during the 2013 season and they reached their highest ranking of #9 during the 2014 campaign.
Burnett got her coaching career started as a successful high school coach in Texas, posting a head coaching record of 142-68 in eight seasons. Her most successful stint was a three-year run at Seymour High School where the led their softball team to three district championships, one area championship, one regional championship and a berth in the state semifinals for the first time. She earned All-District 6-1A Coach of the Year honors all three years and was also selected as the Texas Girls Coaches Association (TGCA) All-Star Coach for the Small West team in 2009.
The first high school coaching job for Burnett was at Woodville ISD, where she took a team that finished 7-18 in her first season of 2003 and advanced to the state playoffs for the first time in school history in 2006. Her 2006 team won a District Championship with a 10-0 record and finished the season 30-6, earning her the District 23-2A Coach of the Year award.
Burnett (Dyer) played third base for SWOSU from 1997-99 after beginning her career at Northern Oklahoma College. She earned honorable mention All-Lone Star Conference North honors at third base in 1999 after finishing her senior season with a .359 batting average, 33 hits and 14 RBI. She then went on to work as a graduate assistant for the SWOSU women’s soccer team in 2000 while completing work towards her degree.
A native of Dewey, Okla., Burnett was a member of two State Championship teams and two state runners-up during a prep career at Dewey High School that saw her teams finish with a combined 166-42 record.
Burnett holds two degrees from SWOSU, earning her Bachelors of Science in 2002 before completing her Masters of Education in 2009. She is married to Beau Burnett, a member of the SWOSU Football team from 1998-2001, and the couple has two children, daughter Gwyn and son Beau.
Burnett Year-by-Year| Season | W | L | % | W | L | % | Finish |
| 2015 | 8 | 37 | .178 | 4 | 29 | .121 | 11th/GAC |
| Totals | 8 | 37 | .178 | 4 | 29 | .121 | |
THE BURNETT FILE Coaching Career2015 – Present: SWOSU (Head Softball Coach)
2015: 8-37 (4-29 GAC)
2011-14: Independence Community College (Head Softball Coach)
2014: 42-16 (Regional Runner-up)
2013: 37-20 (Regional Runner-up)
2012: 25-27 (Program’s first trip to regional tournament)
2011: 4-37
Total: 112-100 (.528)
2009-10: Summer Creek HS; Humble, Texas (Head Softball Coach)
2006-09: Seymour HS; Seymour, Texas (Head Softball Coach/Assistant Basketball & Cross Country)
2002-06: Woodville ISD; Woodville, Texas (Head Softball Coach)
1999-00: SWOSU (Soccer Graduate Assistant)
Career High School Record: 142-68 (.676)
EducationSouthwestern Oklahoma State University
Bachelors of Science, 2002
Masters of Education, 2009
