Colorado University Athletics
Ceal Barry Plaza Dedicated Outside CU Events Center
January 25, 2026 | Women's Basketball
Recognition of iconic women's basketball coach part of the university's 150 anniversary celebration
The weather may have been cold, but there was nothing but warmth surrounding CU Events Center Sunday afternoon as fans, former players, former and current staff, and a number of dignitaries gathered to celebrate the dedication of Ceal Barry Plaza. CU's iconic former women's basketball coach is the first of a series of luminaries that will be recognized as part of the University of Colorado's 150th anniversary celebration this year.
Festivities started with a special ceremony before the Buffs women's basketball team battled Oklahoma State. The plaza was packed with spectators as master of ceremonies Kris Livingston, a longtime CU Athletics and women's basketball administrator, led the program featuring speakers Congressman Joe Neguse, Chancellor Justin Schwartz, and Director of Athletics Fernando Lovo, who proudly announced the dedication of Ceal Barry Plaza.
With the unveiling of the plaza wall, on which Ceal Barry, Hall of Fame Women's Basketball Coach was adorned, Ceal Barry Plaza officially became a permanent fixture of the CU Events Center, the location of so much success for the legendary coach and her teams.
"At the end of every single practice, we'd come together, huddle up and say 'Buffs are one,'" said Barry after the plaza had been unveiled. "It wasn't Buffs are number one, it was Buffs are one. And what that meant was we're a unit. We're a team. We are an organization that functions together. We celebrate together. We suffer together. We win together. We lose together. We don't all fall apart when we get beat. We stay together.
"My name is going to be on here, but I didn't get one rebound, I didn't get one free throw, all I did was give everybody a job and tell them what the mission was. But Buffs are one meant so much to us. So I want you all (players, assistant coaches, trainers, and staff), to always think about that when you bring your kids here, and you're walking through and know that you were a part of that. That your name is up there, I'm just representing."
During halftime of the Buffs' 79-65 win over Oklahoma State, Barry received a replica of the plaque that commemorates the plaza, as well as a bouquet of flowers and congratulations from Coach JR Payne.
As head coach of the CU women's basketball team from 1983-2005, Barry was the winningest coach in team history by recording 427 victories. She led the Buffaloes to four regular season Big 8 titles, five conference tournament championships, three appearances in the NCAA tournament's Sweet 16, and three appearances in the Elite Eight. She has been inducted into the CU Athletics Hall of Fame, the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame, and the National Women's Basketball Hall of Fame. After her coaching career, she spent over 15 years as CU Athletics' Senior Woman Administrator before retiring in 2020.
Festivities started with a special ceremony before the Buffs women's basketball team battled Oklahoma State. The plaza was packed with spectators as master of ceremonies Kris Livingston, a longtime CU Athletics and women's basketball administrator, led the program featuring speakers Congressman Joe Neguse, Chancellor Justin Schwartz, and Director of Athletics Fernando Lovo, who proudly announced the dedication of Ceal Barry Plaza.
With the unveiling of the plaza wall, on which Ceal Barry, Hall of Fame Women's Basketball Coach was adorned, Ceal Barry Plaza officially became a permanent fixture of the CU Events Center, the location of so much success for the legendary coach and her teams.
"At the end of every single practice, we'd come together, huddle up and say 'Buffs are one,'" said Barry after the plaza had been unveiled. "It wasn't Buffs are number one, it was Buffs are one. And what that meant was we're a unit. We're a team. We are an organization that functions together. We celebrate together. We suffer together. We win together. We lose together. We don't all fall apart when we get beat. We stay together.
"My name is going to be on here, but I didn't get one rebound, I didn't get one free throw, all I did was give everybody a job and tell them what the mission was. But Buffs are one meant so much to us. So I want you all (players, assistant coaches, trainers, and staff), to always think about that when you bring your kids here, and you're walking through and know that you were a part of that. That your name is up there, I'm just representing."
During halftime of the Buffs' 79-65 win over Oklahoma State, Barry received a replica of the plaque that commemorates the plaza, as well as a bouquet of flowers and congratulations from Coach JR Payne.
As head coach of the CU women's basketball team from 1983-2005, Barry was the winningest coach in team history by recording 427 victories. She led the Buffaloes to four regular season Big 8 titles, five conference tournament championships, three appearances in the NCAA tournament's Sweet 16, and three appearances in the Elite Eight. She has been inducted into the CU Athletics Hall of Fame, the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame, and the National Women's Basketball Hall of Fame. After her coaching career, she spent over 15 years as CU Athletics' Senior Woman Administrator before retiring in 2020.
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