NIC match postponed following death of Eastern Utah basketball coach

The North Idaho College Dig Pink volleyball match against Utah State University-Eastern on Saturday has been postponed due to the death of the school’s men’s basketball coach, Brad Barton on Tuesday.

Barton, 31, was named the head coach after serving as interim coach during the 2010-11 season. During his interim season, he helped guide the team to a 23-7 record, with three of those losses coming at the hands of eventual NJCAA champion Southern Idaho. He had been an assistant coach at the school under Chris Craig, who left before the 2010-11 season after the team placed third in the NJCAA tournament.

“Brad was a really, really good guy,” NIC men’s basketball coach Jared Phay said. “He had a big heart and I don’t know anyone that could say a bad thing about him.”

Price police Sgt. Bill Barnes said there was no sign of foul play at the apartment near the school, according to the Sun Advocate in Price, Utah, which first reported the coach’s death. Barton’s body was discovered by an assistant coach, who had come to check when he became concerned after not hearing from Barton since Monday.

“I was completely shocked when I heard the news,” said Phay of Barton’s passing. “He was in good shape and was only 31-years old. I didn’t see this one coming at all.”

Barton also served as an assistant coach to Mike Ostlund at Snow College from 2006-07. He played high school basketball at Davis High and went on to captain the Weber State conference championship team of 2003.

The Scenic West Athletic Conference match will be rescheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 19 at 7 p.m. at NIC.

The Dig Pink match, which is where NIC players and fans wear pink in honor of breast cancer awareness, will be included as part of the Oct. 15 match against Salt Lake at 1 p.m. at Christianson Gym.

Ninth-ranked NIC (14-7, 2-1 SWAC) hosts Colorado Northwestern (3-12, 1-2) tonight at 7.