CMU Coach, Tony Barbee Standing Strong With His Wife Holly Marsh And Two Kids After Being Fired

Amy Folan announced that Tony Barbee would not return for a fifth season, saying the program "needs to go in a different direction."

April 4, 2026

This article was last updated by Manoj Gadtaula on April 4, 2026

CWU coach Tony Barbee’s wife, Holly Marsh, is a former Pleasant Valley, New York resident.

Central Michigan fired basketball coach Tony Barbee on Thursday, April 3, 2026, after the Chippewas failed to advance to the Mid-American Conference Tournament for the second time in 3 years.

Athletic director Amy Folan that Tony would not return for a fifth season, saying the program “needs to go in a different direction.”

Central Michigan went 14-17 overall and 7-11 in conference play to finish 10th in the 12-team standings. Barbee had a 49-75 record with the Chippewas, including 0-2 in MAC Tournament games.

Barbee previously coached at UTEP and Auburn. He spent eight years as an assistant at Kentucky before taking over at Central Michigan in 2026.

Coach Tony Barbee Shares Two Children With His Wife, Holly Marsh

CWU coach Tony Barbee, 54, born on August 10, 1971, married , a Pleasant Valley, New York resident, after dating for several years. Their exact date of marriage has not been mentioned yet.

Holly has avoided the media spotlight, so little about her personal life is known.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the mom’s but especially to the Barbee Mom’s. My wife Holly that’s the best mom to our kids, my mom Linda and my 98 year old grandmother Roger Lee. Love you all♥️♥️♥️

— Tony Barbee (@CoachTonyBarbee)

On May 9, 2026, Tony took to his official handle and wished his wife Holly a happy Mother’s Day. He wrote,

Tony and Holly were blessed with their first child, a daughter named Hayden Alexandra, 27 in 1999.

On May 20, 2018, Tony congratulated Hayden following her graduation. He took to his Twitter and wrote,

They welcomed their second child, a son named Andrew Marsh Barbee, 25 in 2001. Andrew graduated from Mount Pleasant High School, where he helped the Mount Pleasant HS basketball team win a district title in 2026.

Before that, heat Paul Laurence Dunbar High School in Lexington, Kentucky.

He is a redshirt freshman guard for the Central Michigan men’s basketball team.

So proud of my “little” baby girl Graduating with honors today. Where did the time go?❌⭕️❌⭕️❌⭕️

— Tony Barbee (@CoachTonyBarbee)

During the 2026-25 season, he played 11 games off the bench, contributing 12 points, eight rebounds, two assists, and one blocked shot in 48 minutes of total action.

He made 3 of 12 field goals, including 1 of 4 from three-point range.

His season highlights include a key three-pointer against Minnesota (11/25), a season-high 13 minutes at Aquinas (12/5), and three points with three rebounds and two assists against Purdue Northwest (12/1).

Earlier, on April 23, 2026, when Tony was appointed CMU’s Men’s Basketball head coach, CMU  Holly, Hayden, and Andrew to the CMU Chippewa community. They wrote,

Holly, Andrew, and Hayden are standing firm with Tony as CMU has officially fired Tony from their basketball team.

In Case You Didn’t Know

• Tony Barbee attended North Central High School in Indianapolis in 1989 and later pursued his bachelor’s degree from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 1993.
• Barbee was named the top assistant in C-USA by Street & Smith in 2005-06 and was honored by Rivals.com as the nation’s No.3 recruiter at Memphis.
• When Barbee was named Auburn’s 20th head basketball coach on March 24, 2010, he advanced to postseason play in 18 of his 19 seasons as a head coach, assistant coach, and player.
• Tony was born to his mother, Linda, and his father, Ronald Key Barbee. He shared a close bond with his grandmother, Roger Lee.

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Rohit Maharjan is a skilled content writer and editor, known for his expertise in crafting engaging and informative written pieces. Beyond his professional work, Rohit is also a passionate musician, dedicating his free time to playing the guitar and creating melodious tunes.

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