App State Men's Basketball added assistant coach Carson Barrett to the staff in June 2026.
 
After building a championship resumé as a player and graduate assistant at Purdue, Barrett earned his first full-time coaching position on head coach Dustin Kerns' staff.
 
Barrett spent the previous two seasons as a grad assistant for Purdue, where he was responsible for opponent scouting, film breakdown, helping with individual workouts and administrative duties. He helped the Boilermakers make the Sweet 16 in 2024-25, followed by a Big Ten Championship and Elite 8 run this past season. Purdue's 30-9 record last year was the second-best in program history.
 
In his six years as a player and staff member, Barrett was part of six NCAA Tournament appearances, three Big Ten titles, a National Championship game appearance and four trips to the second weekend and beyond. Purdue is the only school to earn a top-four seed in March Madness each of the last six years.

Barrett was part of a senior class that set a then-school record with 110 victories, reached the National Championship game, played in four NCAA Tournaments and won two regular-season and one Big Ten Tournament title.

During his playing career, Barrett appeared in 28 games, scoring 17 points with 16 rebounds and five assists in 57 career minutes.

Barrett's father, Dave, played at Purdue and was a long-time head coach at Lafayette Central Catholic High School before his brother, Drake, took over as head coach there.