Colorado women's basketball celebrates 50 years with many memories

It was enjoyable watching the celebration in Boulder a few Sundays ago. Former CU coaches, players, staff, administrators and fans celebrated 50 years of Buffs women’s basketball. It looked like everyone was having fun.

There’s lots to celebrate. Ironically, the early success of Colorado women’s basketball started with Sox Walseth. The first person ever in NCAA basketball history to coach men and women’s basketball teams at the same school.

As a youngster growing up in Kansas City, Missouri, your scribe remembers Saturdays in basketball season watching the “Big 8 Game of the Week.” Often, the Buffs would be involved. This is back in the 60’s when Colorado won three conference titles. The Walseth name was known.

The Aberdeen, South Dakota native coached the Buffs men’s team for 20 seasons, 1956-76. The Navy veteran was named conference coach of the year four times. There's a good reason CU teams play on “Sox Walseth Court.” A well-earned honor for a University of Colorado legend.

After departing as men’s coach, Walseth took a few years off. In 1980, Walseth was coaxed out of retirement to lead women’s hoops as the program’s fourth coach in six years of existence. In the formative years being head coach of the CU women’s teams? A revolving door.

Walseth’s boss at the time, former football coach and then athletic director Eddie Crowder, could be persuasive. However, the engaging guy was smart and knew Walseth was not long for the job. Sox was keeping the seat warm until Colorado could find an upcoming coach to build a successful program at the foot of the Flatirons.

CU Women’s Basketball: LSU upset the biggest in program history

Once Walseth stepped aside after posting an impressive 77-21 record over four seasons, Crowder sprinted down the floor and slammed home the hiring process in spectacular manner. Colorado’s fifth coach was one for the record books.

Ceal Barry.

It’s cool to watch the current team and its outstanding coach JR Payne. She’s got a lot of Barry in her coaching style. Topic for another day. This is about Barry. It was an honor to host her coach’s show back in the day. I’m too lazy to look it up but pretty darn sure when the “Ceal Barry Show” appeared on Denver’s Channel 4 KCNC-TV? I can’t remember the year but do remember it because I was the host. It was one of the first television shows exclusively produced for a women’s program. Ceal was great on the air.

Colorado plucked a woman who played at Kentucky, coached at Cincinnati, arrived in Boulder and planted roots that have grown deep. Barry coached the Buffs for 22 seasons, won 427 games, four conference titles and nearly made the 1995 Final Four. A heartbreaking loss to Georgia is still painful to this day for a wonderful soul who celebrates a milestone birthday this April, no fooling.

Barry’s in numerous Hall of Fame’s for stellar contributions on and off the basketball court. After retiring in 2005, the Louisville, Kentucky native spent another 15 years in CU athletics before stepping away in 2020 after 43 years of coaching and various sports administration leadership roles. Barry is still actively around the program. It was quite fitting the Kentucky native was front and center in the 50-year celebratory events.

Deion Sanders and the Buffaloes score highest academic success with an unsung hero

The women’s team this season is smack tab in the middle of the conference standings. Payne has been the Buffs coach for nine seasons and has made the NCAA Sweet 16 the past two seasons. It’s unlikely to happen this campaign but Colorado women’s basketball is in good hands with the Canadian-born mentor. A standout player at Santa Clara who led the Gaels to their first NCAA tournament in 1999.

A half century of women’s basketball at CU. Great players, teams and memories. The program’s in good hands considering the current head coach’s birth name is Ali-Marie but everyone calls her “JR.” Why? Payne’s father loved the TV show “Dallas.” His daughter’s toughness as a child reminded him of the show’s star J.R. Ewing, a relentless and ruthless oil tycoon.

Rick George struck oil when hiring the mother of three. Payne’s relentless but not ruthless, much like Ceal and Sox.