Weber State University Athletics
Former Wildcat Brad Barton Passes Away
10/5/2011 5:33:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Weber State Athletics notes the passing of former Wildcat men's basketball standout Brad Barton who passed away Tuesday in Price, Utah.
Barton, 31, became the head basketball coach at USU Eastern in June after serving as interim head coach last season and guiding the Golden Eagles to a 23-7 record. He had previously been an assistant coach at USU Eastern and at Snow College in 2006-07.
Brad played two seasons at Weber State in 2001-02 and 2002-03. He led the Big Sky Conference in assist-to-turnover ratio both seasons at Weber State. He averaged 3.0 points and 3.8 rebounds per game in 60 career games with the Wildcats. He was the team captain his senior season and became a team leader with his tenacious play on both ends of the court. He earned Big Sky All-Conference Honorable Mention honors as a senior in 2002-03. That season he played in all 32 games and started 11 games and helped lead the Wildcats to a 26-5 overall record, including a perfect 14-0 record in Big Sky play and a trip to the NCAA Tournament. That team included Big Sky MVP Jermaine Boyette, Solobodan Ocokoljic, John Hamilton, Nic Sparrow, and Pat Danley.
One highlight came in December 2001 when he knocked down a 21-foot floating jumper at the buzzer to give Weber State a 67-64 home win over in-state rival Utah State, capping a 20-point comeback by the Wildcats.
"Brad was kind of a one-in-a-million person and player," former Weber State head coach Joe Cravens told the Standard-Examiner. "He played for me on a team that went undefeated in (the Big Sky Conference in 2002-03). He was kind of the heart and soul of that team. He wasn't the star but he was the guy that kind of made that team go. He was the most competitive, compassionate player I think I've coached."
"Brad was one of my all-time favorite players," said longtime Weber State broadcaster Carl Arky. "No one ever hustled more and gave more of himself than Brad. And he did it despite the fact he was diabetic. He was one of the most inspirational players I've ever been around. Battled diabetes, battled on the court, and always had a great attitude about the game...and life."
He played high school basketball at Davis High School and then played two seasons at BYU-Hawaii before transferring to Weber State.
Funeral services will be held Saturday, Oct. 8 at 11:00 a.m. at the Dee Events Center.
