When Barnes went off to college to play for Seton Hall in 2013, he was kept waiting, too. Despite working hard during training, he never got the opportunity to become a regular starter for his team.

“It definitely was something that tested me in my goals and aspirations,” Barnes said. In four seasons at Seton Hall, Barnes made just seven starts, eventually transferring to Bradley University in 2017.

“I think coming out of that, still having the will to play and the perseverance to continue showed just how much I really wanted it,” he said.

At Bradley, Barnes blew all expectations out of the water. After earning his spot at the start of the season, he not only held onto it, but posted statistics that placed him among the best goalkeepers in NCAA Division I: 8th in save percentage, 15th in saves per game and 17th in shutouts, to name a few.

After waiting four years for a starting job, Barnes had not only managed to accomplish one goal, but also set the foundation for another: the professional career he had always dreamed of.

“I probably had the best performance I’ve ever had,” he said. “Bradley really let me reach my potential and let me see that I could go further.”