Elijah Barnes was announced as UTEP's new throws coach in August 2025 after serving as an assistant coach at Indian Hills Community College. He was the Warriors’ throws coach the last two seasons.
During the 2024-25 indoor season at Indian Hills, Barnes helped build the success of the throws program. The Indian Hills throwers broke the school’s record in both the men’s and women’s weight throw while also grabbing the men’s shot put record as well. During the indoor conference championship, Tate Joens engraved his name in the meet by taking home the all-time meet record in the men’s indoor shot put with an 18.04-meter (59-2.25) hurl. The men’s group would go on to score 29 points while also earning five All-American honors at the Indoor National Meet in Lubbock, Texas.
During the outdoor season, the group would rewrite history once again, breaking four school records throughout the season. The throwers’ performance at Outdoor Nationals led the charge for the team, where they could contribute 39 of the team’s 70 points at the Outdoor National Meet. In the pursuit, Joens brought home the gold in the hammer with a school-record 59.99-meter (196-10) throw, Michael Etuma finished runner-up in the discus (57.44m, 188-5), and Kaden Banks would finish third overall in the shot put (16.92m, 55-6.25). In this pursuit, the men would bring home eight All-Americans for the outdoor national meet while also outscoring any other event group at the national competition.
Other notable awards from this season included Joens earning his fourth Conference Field Athlete of the Year Award and his second NJCAA Midwest Region Athlete of the Year Award. The men finished the year ranked no. 1 in Junior College in the shot, disc, and hammer, while also ranking in the top ten in the discus across all divisions.
In Barnes' inaugural season on the coaching staff for the Warriors, the throws program set a new standard that helped the team capture the 2024 NJCAA DI Men's Indoor Track & Field National Championship. Under Barnes' guidance, Joens captured the 2024 ICCAC Indoor and Outdoor Field Athlete of the Year honors. Joens placed second overall in the weight throw at the 2024 indoor national championship and second overall in the hammer throw at the 2024 outdoor national championship. Along with Joens, Etuma captured All-American honors while Ryan Edelman earned a bid to both the indoor and outdoor national championships. The trio helped rewrite the record books with three new school records and 12 total top-five performances.
Barnes, a standout while competing with the Indian Hills track & field team, etched his name into the record books during the 2019 track and field season, setting a school record in the discus that stood until Etuma surpassed his mark this past season. Barnes finished his junior college career with four All-American honors before COVID-19 shut down that outdoor season.
Barnes completed his collegiate career at Iowa, where he ranks in the top 10 in school history in both the indoor and outdoor shot put events. While competing in the Big Ten, Barnes finished in the top eight in the shot put four times, helping the Hawkeyes to a trio of Big Ten Championships. He was also a three-time qualifier for the first round of the NCAA Championships.
Barnes has previously served as an assistant coach with the Iowa City High School track & field program and an assistant throws coach at Iowa.
A native of Fort Madison, Iowa, Barnes received his bachelor’s degree in Sport and Recreation Management/Focus in Coaching from the University of Iowa with a certificate in Interscholastic Athletic and Activities.
