California Collegiate Athletics Association

Danny Barnts joined the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) as the Director of Communciations in August 2021. He will oversee all aspects of communication for the conference.
 
Barnts comes to the CCAA from Point Loma Nazarene University where he worked for over nine seasons in the communications office, the last seven as the Assistant Athletic Director. At PLNU, he oversaw communications for all 11 teams, including when the men's basketball team made a run to the national championship game (2018-19).
 
He served a three-year term on the Collegiate Sports Information Directors (CoSIDA) Board of Directors starting in the summer of 2016. He was an at-large representative for the college division and served on the Academic All-American committee. He is also vice chair of the CoSIDA Advocacy Committee.
 
In 2017-18, PLNU was awarded with the PacWest Sports Information Department of the Year for the second straight year. It is an award voted on and determined by the other SIDs in the PacWest.
 
He joined PLNU after spending four years as the Sports Information Director at Western Oregon University. During his run at WOU, Barnts established numerous programs in the Athletic Department including the creation of a new website and establishing a weekly video show with the coaches (Wolves Weekly).
 
Prior to joining Western Oregon, Barnts spent two years as the graduate assistant to the sports information director at Boise State University, where he served as the primary media contact for the golf, tennis, and track and field programs and assisted with the football program. In 2008, he earned his master’s degree in Athletic Administration while completing his graduate assistantship.
 
Barnts, earned his undergraduate degree from Washington State University, where he served as the primary media contact for Washington State's swimming program and assisted with the women's basketball program.  In 2005, he was named Outstanding Senior Male in Sport Management of his senior class.
 
Barnts worked one season with the Las Vegas 51s, the Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers, managing ticket sales and information distribution in the box office.  He has also gained experience as a statistician for ESPN and Westwood One, sideline coordinate for Fox during the 2007 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, media relations assistant for the 2005 and 2007 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship, and press conference moderator for the 2007 Roady's Humanitarian Bowl.
 
Barnts was born in Crescent City, Calif., in 1983 to Sonia and Dan Barnts. He was married in the summer of 2019 to Kim Chao. The couple has two children; Aliana and Lincoln.