Barnhart enters her second season as an assistant coach with Western Oregon University cross country and track and field.
Barnhart, formerly known as Monica Smith, was a three-time All-American for Western Oregon from 2002 to 2005. She still holds the Western Oregon record in the 100-meter hurdles which she set at the NCAA National Championships. Her name is still scattered throughout the Wolves’ record books as she remains on the school's all-time top 10 lists in the 100 meters, 200 meters, 100-meter hurdles, high jump, heptathlon, 4x100-meter relay, and 4x400-meter relay.
Upon graduating Barnhart was the school record holder in the indoor 60-meter hurdles, indoor 200 meters, outdoor 100-meter hurdles, and outdoor 4x100-meter relay.
Barnhart was an All-American with a fourth place finish in the 2003 high jump. In 2005, she placed sixth in the high jump and fourth in the 100-meter hurdles for a pair of All-American finishes. That same year, she was an Ad Rutschman small-college athlete of the year finalist at the Oregon Sports Awards. Barnhart was the Female Outstanding Performer of the Meet at the GNAC Championships during her junior and senior seasons.
While a student-athlete at WOU, Barnhart was also outstanding in the classroom receiving ESPN/CoSIDA Academic All-American honors.
Prior to coming to Western Oregon, Barnhart worked with the track and field programs at both Wilsonville and Pullman High Schools, the Comets Track Club in Pullman, Wash., and the Wilsonville Track Club. She is also a USATF Certified Official and has a USTFCCCA Track and Field Technical Certification.
In 2005, Barnhart graduated from Western Oregon with a bachelor’s of science in biology. She obtained her master’s degree in botany from Washington State University in 2008.
