Guard Sarah Ashlee Barker had a seemingly tough decision to make in March 2022 when she entered her name in the transfer portal after spending two seasons at Georgia.
It turned out to be a rather easy decision for Barker, who committed to Alabama. She originally hails from Birmingham, Alabama, and in her senior year at Spain Park High School, she won the Miss Basketball award given to the best basketball player in the state.
Looking back on her decision, Barker is “grateful” she decided to return home and spend the rest of her collegiate career in Tuscaloosa.
“My time here at Alabama has been nothing but great,” Barker said. “I’ve really just enjoyed everything and grown so much while having a lot of fun as well.”
Another positive factor about coming to Alabama for Barker was the opportunity to have her family attend every home game, which she said meant a lot to her.
Barker made an immediate impact in her first season with the Crimson Tide. She started 28 games and averaged 6.9 points, 2.3 assists and 4.8 rebounds per game.
The following season, Barker rapidly transformed into one of the best players in the SEC, with a near-10 points per game increase to 16.8 points and 6.3 rebounds per contest. She also saw drastic improvement in efficiency, shooting 10.9% better from the field by improving to 49.1%.
The improved play earned Barker All-SEC first team honors, and the Crimson Tide made the second round of the NCAA Tournament with her leading the way. She said her experience entering her fourth year of college basketball, as well as an increase in leadership and responsibility, helped with the jump in production.
“It’s just that experience that really helps the game slow down for me,” Barker said. “As a younger player, you’re gonna be behind on things, so growing as a player becomes very important.”
Now in her fifth and final season of college basketball, which saw her named to multiple preseason award watch lists, Barker is continuing her strong play. She is averaging 15.6 points, 5.9 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game, which has helped aid the Crimson Tide to the best start in program history.
Barker has taken the increased scoring responsibilities the past two seasons in stride, believing it’s important for players to know their place on any given sports team.
“You just gotta find your role, and I know my role these past couple of years has been to be able to score and rebound at a high level,” Barker said. “I’m one of the first people we look for on offense, so it’s important to understand that.”
However, Barker’s talent is just half of what she brings to her team. She is a vocal leader both on and off the court and has been regarded by many, including Alabama head coach Kristy Curry, as a crucial leader of this Crimson Tide team.
“She is just such a special leader,” Curry said. “She has that unique ability that so many don’t, which is to make those around her believe.”
Perhaps no better example has been shown than in these past few weeks. On Jan. 2 in the SEC opener against Florida, Barker had to leave the game with a leg injury and was out until the team’s game against Vanderbilt on Sunday.
Despite being sidelined with the injury, Barker continued to be the same leader she was on the court. She was vocal on the sidelines and actively engaged in every team huddle, and she could be seen coaching players on the bench. Barker said her voice “doesn’t change” and emphasized the importance of staying consistent in her leading role.
“From a leadership standpoint, I’ve always been a very vocal leader,” Barker said. “Even though I’m not on the floor right now, I can still have an impact on the game. If I see anything that I can help a teammate with, I’m gonna capitalize on that and help them see the game better.”
Barker said that she wants to be a coach after her playing career ends and that the past few weeks on the sidelines have been a valuable experience for her in that aspect. She was recently named to the Women’s Basketball’s Coaches Association 2025 “So You Want To Be A Coach” program, an opportunity for her to increase her coaching skills once again.
Reflecting on nearing the end of her time at Alabama, Barker said she’ll “forever appreciate” the bonds she has built in Tuscaloosa over the past three years.
“You may remember one or two games that stood out to you, but it’s really just the relationships and friendships that you’ll remember most fondly,” Barker said. “These bonds will last a lifetime.”
She said her favorite moment at Alabama was last season’s 76-73 victory over Florida on senior night, when she took part in the festivities even though she knew she would return the following season and use her extra year of eligibility due to COVID-19.
“When it’s your actual senior season and your fourth year, it just means something,” Barker said. “I got to walk with my family during the festivities, and we capped it off with a really meaningful and close win. It was such a fun day.”
As a forefront figure of the Crimson Tide in her final collegiate season, Barker hopes the year ends in a way her teammates can look back on in the future and be proud of.
“As long as we can finish it off the right way and do it together, I think a lot of us will be happy,” Barker said. “Memories will last forever.”