University of Colorado Regents approved a five-year contract Thursday, June 24, with Ceal Barry, head coach of women聮s basketball at CU-Boulder. Under the contract, Barry will receive compensation worth at least $219,600 per year.
The multi-year contract is permitted under Colorado statutes as one of six such agreements allowed for each state university. Barry聮s contract is effective with the 1998-99 fiscal year, continuing until June 2003.
CU-Boulder Chancellor Richard L. Byyny said, "I聮m pleased that we are able to secure the continuing leadership of Ceal Barry, one of the most sought-after coaches in the country. She has demonstrated world-class coaching skills, a commitment to the academic development of student-athletes and an intense loyalty to the University of Colorado at Boulder.
"I聮m delighted that we can look forward to many more years of exciting basketball with Coach Barry at the helm."
For fiscal year 1999-2000, Barry聮s contract includes an annual base salary of $139,600 and additional compensation, including $25,000 for television/radio appearances, $30,000 for NIKE allowance, $25,000 as a yearly incentive payment and post-season and other performance incentives. In addition to the employment compensation, Barry also will receive a $25,000 yearly payment to conduct summer basketball camps.
Athletic Director Dick Tharp said he was "extremely pleased that we were able to finalize this agreement in such a positive manner. Both Coach Barry and I are looking forward to the future basketball seasons with great enthusiasm."
This fall, Barry enters her 17th year as a CU head coach. She brought a little-known program from obscurity to national prominence during her career at CU-Boulder.
In 16 seasons at CU-Boulder, she has won 316 games, taking the Buffs to the NCAA Tournament eight times, advancing to four Sweet 16 appearances and the 1993 and 1995 Elite Eight. The Colorado women聮s basketball team won Big Eight titles in 1989 and 1993-95 as well as winning the 1989, 1992 and 1995-96 Big Eight tournaments and the inaugural Big 12 tournament in 1997.
Barry has been named the Big Eight Coach-of-the-Year four times and was the United States Basketball Writers聮 Association, Basketball Times and Basketball America pick for National Coach-of-the-Year following CU-Boulder聮s unprecedented 1995 season. She has produced 41 Academic All-Conference players and has had five former players drafted into the American professional leagues.
Barry, 44, who has had eight national team assignments, was assistant coach for the gold-medal U.S. Olympic team in 1996. In 1997, she turned down an offer to lead the U.S. women聮s national team to the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia, in order to remain at CU-Boulder. That year, she also was inducted into the Colorado Women聮s Hall of Fame, which recognizes women who have made significant contributions to the state while elevating the status of women.