East County girls basketball star commits to Cincinnati

If Kali Barrett isn't answering her phone, she is likely doing one of two things. 

Sharpening her basketball skills, or sleeping. 

Aside from basketball, resting is Barrett's favorite thing to do. 

"I value taking care of my body," Barrett said. 

Barrett might share her penchant for naps with a lot of teenagers, but her basketball skills separate her from the pack. On July 7, Barrett, an East County rising senior at Cardinal Mooney High, committed to the University of Cincinnati. It marked the end of a years-long recruiting process for Barrett, a 6-foot-2 small forward. Barrett is ranked by Prep Girls Hoops as the No. 4 player in Florida in the class of 2025, as of July 13. Other than Cincinnati, Barrett held offers from Georgetown University and St. John's University among other NCAA Division I schools. 

At times, Barrett said, the attention from coaches could be overwhelming. Barrett said the process was made harder because she did not know anyone who had previously gone through it. She and her family navigated it as best they could. Ultimately, Barrett is happy with how it ended.

Photo by Ryan Kohn

"The next day (after the commitment) felt weird," Barrett said. "I just thought, 'I'm actually going there.' All the worries were gone. I have thought a lot about how far I have come and how far I still have to go." 

Barrett received her offer from Cincinnati in May. She has not taken an official visit to the campus yet — she's going in September — but she decided to commit anyway. Barrett said that is because of her relationship with Cincinnati's coaching staff. 

"Relationships are what mean the most to me," Barrett said. "Both the head coach (Katrina Merriweather) and the assistants, they have shown that they care about me. They are always talking to me, sometimes randomly calling just to see how things are going for me." 

The Bearcats went 14-18 last season, Merriweather's first with the program. It was a six-win improvement on the previous season. Barrett still has a senior season at Cardinal Mooney to play, but when she arrives on campus for the 2025-2026 season, the Bearcats will be getting a physical, hard-working defender and a capable outside shooter.

Barrett averaged 14.8 points, 8.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.4 steals per game last season. Her play and leadership helped the Cougars to a 22-7 record and a fourth-consecutive trip to the Florida High School Athletic Association Class 3A state championship game, where they lost 75-51 to Miami Country Day School. 

Barrett said she is excited to end her high school career with a bang, but she's also thankful to finally consider herself a DI-caliber player. Barrett said it is something she has wanted for a long time.

Barrett grew up in Box Elder, South Dakota, before moving to Florida in 2019. Barrett said she played "almost every sport" while she was young, but quickly fell in love with the pace of basketball.

She started playing competitively in second grade. She would hone her skills by playing against her family as well as her neighbors down the street — most of whom were male. Barrett said playing against boys helped her gain toughness, something that is now a hallmark of her game. 

While she has always had the right attitude and physical skills on the court, Barrett has worked hard to improve her basketball knowledge. At Cardinal Mooney, Barrett said she has learned to see the game in ways others cannot. 

"I'm a smart player," Barrett said. "I can slow the game down for myself and for my teammates. I see everyone on the court." 

Barrett also knows her development as a player is not done. This offseason, she said, she has been working on "a little bit of everything," including her ability to drive to the basket and her on-ball defense. Though she plays small forward at Cardinal Mooney, Barrett said she believes she has the ability to play every position besides center, and she wants to prove it. 

Barrett is currently playing on the travel ball circuit. She participated in the U.S Junior Nationals "March to the Arch" event in St. Louis with her Atlanta Entertainment Basketball League team July 12-15.

On July 18-22, Barrett will play with her team in the Adidas Girls Palmetto Road Championships in Rock Hill, South Carolina. Come November, she will be back on the court with Cardinal Mooney. 

She's excited for all of it. In terms of her recruitment, she's excited to do her other favorite activity. 

Rest. 

"I'm just happy to be a Bearcat," Barrett said.