Tad Boyle and linda lappe aim To redirecT The forTunes of cu hoops

V O L U M E : 7I S S U E : 2

One-On-One With Ceal Barry The Newest Buff: Rodney Billups Hoops Preview

BANJO BILLY BUS

The University of Colorado was proud to announce on Dec. 6, 2010, the hiring of Jon Embree to serve as our new head football coach. Due to printing deadlines, there is no feature article about Coach Embree in this issue of The Stampede. However, I would like to acknowledge and thank those of you for the many encouraging comments, thoughts and feedback that you shared with me during the season and especially during the search process. We were honored to have a great group of leaders to serve on the search committee and salute their collective passion and dedication to the process. We are most excited to have a Buff serve in this key capacity and look forward to the coaching staff and players he will recruit to help shape his vision we share to make CU the flagship institution in the Pac-12.

Basketball is in full swing at CU. In this issue, you are going to learn more about our basketball leadership duo of Tad Boyle and Linda Lappe, as they forge a new and exciting future for our fastest growing enterprise as men’s and women’s basketball head coaches. You are also going to hear from Senior Women’s Administrator Ceal Barry and newcomer Director of Basketball Operations Rodney Billups.

Johnny Widmer’s story of perseverance in school and as a member of the men’s golf team during his mother’s battle with colon cancer demonstrates the resilience of our student-athletes. I believe you will be impressed by the profile on volleyball standout Rosie Steinhaus. She is an exemplary student; as a mechanical engineering major, she has made several appearances on the Dean’s List and the Big 12 Conference Commissioner’s Honor Roll in her career at CU. Lastly, I would like to thank Tom and Sharon Maiorano for participating as the feature donor in this issue of The Stampede. We are most appreciative of their generous gift and look forward to a long relationship with the Maioranos. We treasure your support and interest in the athletic program. We recognize you have many choices for both entertainment and charitable gifts. On behalf of the entire Colorado Athletics family, thank you for choosing to be a loyal supporter of the Buff Club and CU’s tremendous student-athletes. GO BUFFS!

Mike Bohn

E d i T o r i a l d i r E c T o r , B u f f c l u BNatalie A. Pigliacampo

M a N a G i N G E d i T o rDoug Ottewill, Haas Rock Publications

c o N T r i B u T i N G W r i T E r SDaniel Mohrmann

Pat Rooney Jenny Siegle

a r T d i r E c T i o N & d E S i G NDebbie Clapper, gneural llc

P H o T o G r a P H E r SPete Anderson

CU Sports Information Getty Images

Jathan Campbell Aaron Salley

a d V i S o r Y B o a r dJosi Carlson Lindsay Lew

Jo Marchi Curtis Snyder

a d V E r T i S i N G S a l E SChris Dolge

Kevin Gollehon Casey Light

Will McKinlay

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V o l u M E : 7 i S S u E : 2c o N T r i B u T o r S

T H a N k Y o u f o r c H o o S i N G T o B E a l o Y a l S u P P o r T E r o f T H E B u f f c l u B a N d c u ’ S T r E M E N d o u S S T u d E N T - a T H l E T E S .”– M i k E B o H N

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Compliance CornerCU is responsible for its boosters and their actions. Our athletics compliance office is responsible for educating boosters in order to ensure compliance with NCAA, conference and institutional regulations.

Representative of Athletics Interest – Also known as a booster. CU fans, friends, alumni and employees are categorized as boosters. Specifically, the NCAA has determined that a booster is an individual or business that:• Is or ever has been a contributor to the CU Athletic Department• Has ever made a donation of any kind to a specific sport program• Are or have been a member of an organization promoting CU’s athletics program (e.g., booster club)• Has ever made a donation to the Buff Club• Is a former student-athlete at CU Boulder• Is an employee, or the spouse of an employee, of the University of Colorado• Has ever purchased season tickets for any of CU’s athletic programs• Have otherwise promoted CU’s athletics programs in any manner

Prospective Student-Athletes – Also known as a PSA/recruit. PSAs are ANY students who have started classes for the ninth grade, regardless of athletics participation. Student-athletes enrolled in preparatory school and junior colleges are also considered PSAs.

Recruiting – Any solicitation of a PSA or their relatives by an institutional staff member for the purpose of securing the PSA’s enrollment and ultimate participation in the institution’s athletics program. Only CU coaches are permitted to recruit PSAs. Boosters may not have any recruiting contact with PSAs.

Extra Benefit – Any gift or special arrangement by a CU employee or booster provided to a PSA or current student-athlete or their relatives or friends that is not expressly permitted by the NCAA. Some examples of extra benefits include:• A special discount, payment arrangement or credit on any purchase or service• Gifts of cash, clothing or any other tangible item• Loan of money or co-signing of a loan• An automobile, use of an automobile, or any transportation expenses• Free or reduced-cost services, purchases or rentals• Employment or loan arrangements for a PSA’s or current student-athlete’s friends or relatives• Free or reduced rent or housing• Payment to a student-athlete for a speaking engagement

Go Buffs! Jill Gainey Associate Director of Compliance, Rules Educationjillian.gainey@colorado.edu 303.492.6155

departmentsdepartments

6i n f o C u sThe glory of Cu athletics captured in photos

11b E h i n D T h E s C E n E sunderstanding sports agents

12D o n o R s T o R yTom and sharon Maiorano

17T E n T h i n g s y o u D i D n ’ T k n o w A b o u T M ELaura Thweatt, Cu cross country

20Q & ACeal barry

32P o i n T A f T E Rhere’s to 2010 and a new yearP

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2525 ARAPAHOE • In The Village • Boulder • (303) 443-1822mcguckin.com • Open 7 days a week!

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LOCALLY OWNED and OPERATED by the same

Boulder familysince 1955!

Snow Sleds & Pet BedsSki Racks & Bike Racks

Cozy Candles & Axe HandlesThermostats & Door Mats

Pry Bars & Canning JarsWool Socks & Alarm ClocksFireplaces & Storage Cases

Space Heaters & BirdfeedersIndoor Plants & Work PantsLog Splitters & Furnace Filters

Camping Gear & Pruning ShearsWeather Strip & Paint StripSnow Shovels & Garden ShovelsWork Gloves & Ski Gloves

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8t r u e g r i tJohnny Widmer is on the comeback trail, emotionally and competitively By Daniel Mohrmann

14s e n i o r W i s d o mrosie steinhaus provides senior leadership athletically and academically By Daniel Mohrmann

18a f a m i l i a r n a m e i n b o u l d e rthere’s another billups back on campus By Pat Rooney

24d a W n o f a n e W e r atad boyle and linda lappe aim to redirect the fortunes of Cu hoops By Pat Rooney

features

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i n f o C u sP H o t o : P r o - m o t i o n , l t d .

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J o H n n y W i d m e r i s o n t H e C o m e b a C k t r a i l , e m o t i o n a l l y a n d C o m P e t i t i v e l y

By Daniel Mohrmann

Johnny Widmer came to Boulder as a freshman golfer with everything to look forward to in his college career. As a freshman, Johnny earned a spot on the regular travel team for the Buffs and was openly told by teammates he had an exceptional level of talent that could produce great things for him in the future. With a year of experience under his belt, Johnny was primed for a breakout year as a sophomore, ready to build upon his solid play from the previous season. As he was preparing to head back to Boulder for his sophomore season, his world was turned upside down when his mother Susan was diagnosed with stage-four colon cancer. At the time of his mom’s diagnosis, she was caring for Johnny’s grandmother, who was suffering from dementia. She was also charged with caring for Johnny’s aunt, who had been diagnosed with breast cancer. What had the promise of a defining year for Johnny had turned into an emotional nightmare. “It was really, really tough and was one thing after another,” Johnny said. “When my mom came home, she would always be tired and her stomach was hurting her all the time, so she went for a routine check up and they told her she had cancer.” When Susan went in for further evaluations, the Widmers discovered the cancer had spread throughout her body and had reached critical proportions. As Johnny was preparing for his

return to Boulder, he received the grave news that his mother had three months to live. Johnny’s instinct was to stay home and be with his family, but his mom refused to let him leave school.

“My mom didn’t want me to stay home. She wanted me to stay at school; she didn’t want me to stop,” Johnny said. “She said, ‘Go to school, keep doing what you’re doing and I’m going to do everything I can.’” Susan began going through chemotherapy treatments once per month, and, incredibly, the cancer began to shrink. The woman who was given three months to live, survived eight months of chemotherapy and began an intense cycle of getting better, then getting worse. During this time, Johnny was back in Boulder, trying to focus on school and golf with one eye on his mom’s status back home. In the fall semester, after injuring a rib, Johnny’s golf coach at CU, Roy Edwards, presented him with the option to redshirt his sophomore year. “We knew Johnny had an extremely difficult summer. We want to make sure that the well-being of our players is taken care of,” Coach Edwards said. “We approached him about redshirting and he was not relieved; he wanted to play. He’s a competitor. But it was something he was very open to.” One of the main benefits of Johnny redshirting was his freedom to travel home whenever he

m y m o m d i d n ’ t W a n t m e t os t a y H o m e . s H e W a n t e d m et o s t a y a t s C H o o l ; s H ed i d n ’ t W a n t m e t o s t o P . ”– J o H n n y W i d m e r

needed to. Through the fall, that opportunity never had to present itself until Johnny took his annual trip home to the Cayman Islands for Christmas. When Johnny saw his mom for the first time in months, he was surprised to see few physical effects of the cancer and the chemo treatments.

“She didn’t really look any different from what she looked like before,” Johnny said. “She was carrying her chemo bag around, walking around and driving and doing everything she was doing before.”

It wasn’t until Johnny returned to Boulder for the spring semester that the physical effects of chemo started making an impact on his mom. In March of 2010, Susan had surgery to remove the cancer, something the doctors originally thought could not happen. The toughest time for the Widmers happened from the point of surgery through the end of the summer.

“Before (the surgery), we didn’t know what was going on, but we were fighting and hoping for the best and things were improving,” Johnny said. “Now the surgery’s done, but they basically took everything out of her. Everything’s gone. She lost a ton of weight and got really skinny and went into liver failure three times, something the doctors didn’t tell my dad until a week after it started working again.”

After the surgery, Susan began the rehab process in the Bahamas where the surgery P

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i C o u l d n ’ t e v e n g i v e H e r a C u b e o f W a t e r m e l o n .”– J o H n n y W i d m e r

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took place. After a while, the doctors thought she was well enough to go home, whereJohnny had already spent a month of his summer vacation. The trip home did not gowell for Susan and in some ways she was worse than at any point while battling thecancer. She was not responding well to the operation and her body began rejectingfood and nutrition.

“I couldn’t even give her a cube of watermelon,” Johnny said. “That was probably thescariest time because the only way she was going to recover was if she started eatingand trying to move around and she couldn’t get out of bed.”

After transferring to a hometown hospital, Susan started responding better totreatments and began a slow and steady recovery. Within two weeks of entering thelocal hospital, she began eating and moving around with a walker. As time has goneby, Susan has begun to drive and gone back to work.

With his mom’s recovery going well, Johnny began looking forward to returning toBoulder for his redshirt sophomore season and returning to some sense of normalcyin his life. Johnny admits that when the decision was made for him to redshirt, he wasan emotional wreck - he wanted to compete as an active member of his team.

“At the time, I kind of felt like I needed to take a redshirt year,” Johnny said. “I wasjust too unstable to balance school, golf and a social life.”

These days, since returning to the Buffs, Johnny’s focus is to keep competing, butthere’s also more emphasis on enjoying life and the situation in which he currentlyfinds himself. The carefree, ambitious freshman who stepped onto the campus inBoulder has evolved into an emotionally mature competitor. Instead of crumbling inthe face of adversity, Johnny’s experiences have benefited him; he’s gained strengthfrom those around him.

“He’s just a happy person,” Coach Edwards said. “He’s one of those people who justenjoys the people around him. He enjoys life; he enjoys golf.”

The experience of watching his mom at the brink of death, only to pull off a recoverythat seemed all but impossible, has had a deep impact on the way Johnny views lifeand how to live it. And although this experience has brought him and family closertogether, Johnny has learned to be more independent.

“I basically didn’t have parents for a year and a half,” Johnny said. “My mom was sickand my dad was dealing with my mom being sick, so I was kind of left alone to fendfor myself.”

With his mom’s recovery progressing and Johnny back to focusing on school andgolf, he’s looking forward to getting back on the course. He’s got a new and differentoutlook on life, knowing that golf is important, yet something to be enjoyed. It’s thethings and people that support him off the course that truly matter.

“Golf is extremely important to me,” Johnny said. “But there are a lot bigger thingsgoing on in life regardless if I make a double-bogey on the first hole or not.” P

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UNDERSTANDING SPORTS AGENTSa f t e r m u C H m e d i a b u z z , i t ’ s t i m e t oe x a m i n e H o W t H e n C a a v i e W s s P o r t s a g e n t s

Recently, agent and student-athlete interaction has been a hot topic in the news. You may ask, why is this is such a hot topic right now? Or, why is the NCAA just starting the crack down on agents? Well, the NCAA has been diligent in their agent and amateurism coverage in the past, but the recent evolution of media and social networking sites has helped create a media frenzy surrounding their interactions. In fact, some student-athletes’ eligibility has been affected due to their social networking activity. Student-athletes need to maintain their amateur status in order to compete in intercollegiate athletics for an institution. A student-athlete could lose their amateur status through contact with and benefits received from an agent.

To help with your understanding of this hot topic, let’s start with a few definitions: AGENT

an agent is generally defined as any person who represents any individual in the marketing of his or her athletics ability, regardless if the person defines themselves as an agent (i.e. runner).

RUNNERa runner is the liaison between an agent and a student-athlete. any benefits from a runner are considered to be from an agent and will affect a student-athlete’s eligibility. often, a runner can be another student on the institution’s campus.

FINANCIAL ADVISORa financial advisor is someone who assists athletes with financial negotiations, decisions and investments. it is not possible for a student-athlete to obtain a financial advisor and maintain their intercollegiate eligibility concurrently.

Over the summer, a University of North Carolina student-athlete tweeted a picture from an agent’s party he was attending in Miami, fueling the NCAA’s ongoing investigation of interaction between student-athletes and agents. Following the posting of the photo and further investigation, the student-athlete was removed from the team, and two of his teammates were declared permanently ineligible for their acceptance of impermissible benefits from the agent. Student-athletes from additional schools also present at the agent’s party were subsequently suspended. Under NCAA Bylaw 12.3.1.2 a student-athlete (any individual who currently participates in or who may be eligible in the future to participate in intercollegiate sport) may not accept transportation, cash or other benefits from a prospective agent, runner or financial advisor, regardless if the agent has no intention of representing the student-athlete in the future. Under NCAA Bylaw 12.3, a student-athlete may not agree verbally or in writing to be represented by an athlete agent in the present or in the future for the purpose of marketing the student-athlete’s ability or reputation. If a student-athlete does enter into an agreement or accepts impermissible benefits from an agent, runner or financial advisor, CU must immediately declare the student-athlete ineligible for competition. Depending on the value of benefits accepted, CU may ask for reinstatement of the student-athlete’s eligibility, following the student-athlete repaying the value of impermissible benefits and being withheld from a certain number of contests based on case precedent. Ultimately, if the value of the benefit from the agent is exceptionally excessive, a student-athlete could become permanently

ineligible, such as in the case from the University of North Carolina. CU and the NCAA do not have jurisdiction over agents and their actions. This is why CU remains diligent in our education efforts with student-athletes, their families, CU coaches and CU boosters regarding agent and student-athlete interaction. Student-athletes and their families have access to CU’s Professional Sports Counseling Panel to assist with agent education regarding decisions towards a professional career. To go along with that, CU requires an agent interested in a student-athlete to register with the university prior to contacting any CU student-athletes. If you have further questions regarding agent and student-athlete interaction, please do not hesitate to contact the Compliance Office. You may want to review our Professional Sports Counseling Panel web site at: cubuffs.com.

Until next time – Go Buffs!

a s t u d e n t -a t H l e t e C o u l d l o s e t H e i r a m a t e u r s t a t u s t H r o u g H C o n t a C t W i t H a n d b e n e f i t s r e C e i v e d f r o m a n a g e n t . ”– J i l l g a i n e y

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Jill Gaineyassociate Director of Compliance,Rules educationjillian.gainey@colorado.edu303.492.6155P

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t o m a n d s H a r o n m a i o r a n o r e t u r n t H e f a v o r t o t H e u n i v e r s i t y o f C o l o r a d o

long-distance relationships aren’t easy. no matter how strong the bond, miles simply take a toll. Ultimately, that’s how – and why – Tom and Sharon Maiorano found themselves in Boulder, Colo., in February of 1993. You see, Tom and Sharon were involved in a bona fide long-distance relationship, and together they decided against picking one of their current residences. Tom was living in Southern California, while Sharon resided in Phoenix.

Why not Boulder? Done. Through work and a program at the Leeds School of Business, Tom had spent some time in Boulder, and had always thoroughly enjoyed the town and its lively culture. As such, he suggested to Sharon that a weekend in Colorado might help them decide where to settle in, cultivating a budding relationship and putting an end to the “long-distance stuff.” “We were looking to immerse ourselves in a college town,” says Tom. “We spent that weekend in Boulder and I bought tickets to a football game. It was September and it felt like it was 92 degrees at the game. We had a great time, went to dinner at a Red Robin afterwards, came out and it was snowing. “From that point, we were hooked.” But it wasn’t just Boulder that the Maioranos fell in love with – they loved the Buffs too. They soaked in Saturdays at Folsom, seeing the glory days of CU football. From Heisman Trophy

performances to the Fiesta Bowl in 2001, the Maioranos didn’t skip a beat. They even fell in love with the women’s basketball program. “One night after a football game, we took in a women’s basketball game,” recalls Sharon. “I believe our football ticket got us into the basketball game for free, so we said, ‘Why not?’” These days Tom and Sharon have season tickets to both football and basketball. And despite the fact that the Buffs haven’t fared as well on the scoreboard of late, the Maioranos haven’t lost interest in CU athletics. In fact, they’re more excited than ever. “As we’re about to enter the Pac-12, we couldn’t be more excited about the competition and the new destinations,” says Tom. “This is a perfect fit. And I can’t wait to have other schools travel into Boulder to see what we’ve got here. It’s a great game day atmosphere. It’s a great tradition.”

And despite the fact that Tom and Sharon love the Buffs rain or shine, make no mistake, they want to get back to the winning days they remember upon settling in Boulder. “If we could say one thing to the athletic department at CU, it would be ‘Shoot for the stars,’” says Tom. “This move is a great opportunity to re-establish CU as a winner. “You don’t strive for ‘mediocre.’ You strive to be the best – no more of this, ‘We want to win nine games.’ The goal should be to win it all every year. That’s not going to happen, obviously, but you got to strive for that. If you come up short,

you still win nine games; you still win the conference. “And from time to time, you might just find yourself vying for that national title.” In talking to Tom and Sharon, few could misread their passion for the University of Colorado, an institution that neither can officially call their alma mater. But it’s not just the fire in their eyes, or the strength of their words. In fact, they’ve put their money where their mouth is. “We don’t have children,” says Sharon. “But we want to leave a legacy, a legacy through young people.” The Maioranos have made plans to leave their estate to CU athletics. “In a way, CU is our family. Ever since we got here, we’ve felt like we belonged. A lot of that has to do with the sports at CU. And it’s not just the games themselves; it’s meeting the coaches and athletes and all the people who make CU athletics work. It’s a great family atmosphere,” says Tom. “Upon our passing, that’s where our legacy should be left – at CU.”

For Tom and Sharon, there are many, many more Saturdays spent on campus ahead, but their mark on the University of Colorado won’t be made in this lifetime alone. The Maioranos intend for generations of Buffs – and Buffs fans like themselves – to enjoy the riches that Boulder has given them. Now, forever and always.

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“y o u d o n ’ t s t r i v e f o r ‘ m e d i o C r e . ’ y o u s t r i v e t o b e t H e b e s t . ”– t o m m a i o r a n o

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a m a s t e r o f t i m e m a n a g e m e n t , r o s i e s t e i n H a u s e x C e l s i n e v e r y t H i n g s H e d o e s

By Daniel Mohrmann

When Rosie Steinhaus stepped onto the volleyball court for the start of her senior year, she was already one of the most accomplished student-athletes in the CU program. Steinhaus is the only senior on the volleyball roster and has built a solid academic career during her time in Boulder.

When looking through the athletic department at CU, Rosie stands out as the true definition of a student-athlete, especially with regard to the “student” part of that term. As a well-known NCAA advertising campaign suggests, Steinhaus will certainly be going pro – in something other than sports.

Her career on the court has endured various peaks and valleys in her four years in the program, but personally, Steinhaus has consistently been one of the most dominant players for the Buffs. She’s seen a major shift in the program as a coaching change brought in current coach, Liz Kritza. With changes in place, Steinhaus quickly realized that her experience as a senior and as a captain of the team would create a season unlike any other. Her senior campaign would be significantly different from any of her previous experiences with the Buffs.

“This year in general has been kind of a unique situation, just tons and tons of new girls coming in the fall, with Kerra Schroeder and I really being the only ones who were carried over from the previous year,” Steinhaus said. “We had the opportunity to design this team to be what we wanted, setting the tone for hard work and coming into the gym and giving it your all every day.”

Although Steinhaus’s volleyball career will end this year, her leadership will set the tone for the future of the team. Steinhaus has regularly made P

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an appearance on the school’s Dean’s List and the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll; she’s a clear example that every ounce of effort and work she puts in while competing in the athletic arena carries over to the classroom, as well. On the court, practice is the easiest way for Steinhaus to set the tone for the team. Her coaches will attest that she sets an example that trickles down through the other members of the team.

Steinhaus, like her teammates, understands that there’s both balance and benefit to competing at the highest level. Academics take focus, as does being a member of a major college athletic team, but using one endeavor to balance the other is a technique she’s seemingly mastered.

“It’s hard balancing school and volleyball, and there are days where you absolutely do not want to be in the gym,” Steinhaus said. “You just have to get into that mentality that when you step on that court, you hit that light switch and play your game. Don’t let anything going on outside of volleyball affect the way you play.”

When Steinhaus hasn’t been busy setting a competitive example as a teammate and senior captain, she has been committed to her academic future. Steinhaus is majoring in mechanical engineering and looking towards starting a career in the bio-mechanical field. In 2009, Steinhaus worked with Dr. Mark Rentschler, helping to develop a laparoscopic camera system that could be used for laparoscopic surgical operations. Steinhaus worked on image quality testing, using different types of cameras to use within the system.

“What she worked on was a new camera device for microscopic surgery,” Dr. Rentschler said. “So it was actually integrating a camera into one of the ports we use for tools.”

Steinhaus came to Dr. Rentschler with overwhelming interest in his research program and was given the opportunity to work with him through the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program. The award was given to Rosie in the summer of 2009 and provided the funds for necessary materials along with her salary.

Working with Dr. Rentschler has given Steinhaus direction in her plans upon graduating from CU. Most of Dr. Rentschler’s work is based on his desire to build medical devices that can be implemented for enhanced surgical methods. Using a degree in mechanical engineering, Steinhaus believes she’d like to follow a similar course.

“Ideally, I’d like to design medical devices, either prosthetics or surgical tools or things like that,” Steinhaus said. “I’m really interested in the design process and the whole invention idea.” The research and work that Steinhaus has completed has piqued her interest so much, that she plans on jumping right into the field after graduation. The bio-mechanical field has numerous avenues, and Steinhaus wants to acquire some experience in the field before settling on a specific area of focus in which to devote her work. “Eventually, I’ll go back to school,” Steinhaus said. “But I want to get out and work a little bit in the industry before I see which direction I want to go.” Along with the research, the mechanical engineering field requires a significant time commitment that can create a stressful environment for an average college student. Steinhaus has the added pressure of being a Division I athlete, which makes both her academic and athletic accomplishments all the

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more impressive. At the end of the day, Steinhaus is not only the senior captain for the volleyball team, but is the team’s leader in GPA, a feat that can be difficult to achieve.

“There are struggles at times when you have a lot of homework; you have to go to practice and you just have so much going on,” Steinhaus said. “But I know it will be worth it in the end, and I’m really passionate about my classes and the work I get to do.”

Her ability to balance various projects and activities is not lost among those she works with, such as Dr. Rentschler. Through the years, he has found that working with athletes has been a successful experience because of their ability to “wear so many hats at once.” Steinhaus is no exception to that assessment, and was able to successfully maintain her schedule in the lab along with her required volleyball workouts.

“Over the summer, there were a few camps she had to be involved with,” Dr. Rentschler said. “But it worked well. In our group, we usually pair the undergraduate students with a graduate student to help them and be their day-to-day mentor. She was paired with a PhD student and I like their schedules to be flexible, especially with Rosie’s situation where she had other commitments.”

When Steinhaus is able to find time on her own, she enjoys taking advantage of the outdoor life the state of Colorado has to offer. She is an avid skier and even competed for the Flagstaff (Ariz.) High School ski team for four years. Although she obtained an athletic scholarship in an indoor sport, Steinhaus is a big fan of outdoor life, which made Colorado a perfect fit for her college choice.

“I really like being outdoors,” Steinhaus said. “Especially being in Boulder, I love to hike. In the winter and in the spring, when we don’t have games, we can go skiing. I like to get up to the mountains and do a lot of outdoor activities.”

When the volleyball season ends and the mountains begin to make their annual call, Steinhaus will add yet another component to her busy schedule. But that shouldn’t be a problem, as it’s evident that Steinhaus has mastered the art of time management.

i d e a l l y , i ’ d l i k e t o d e s i g n m e d i C a l d e v i C e s . ”– r o s i e s t e i n H a u s

“

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Tenthingsyoudidn’t know aboutme…

laura

TenNine

EightSeven

Six

Five

FourThree

Two

One

I had two cats growing up, Sassy and Sammy, and a dog named Mowglie. Oh and when I was a

lot younger, I had two hamsters, Hedi and Nibbles.

If I could be a crayon, I would be metallic seaweed, one of the coolest colors I’ve ever seen in a Crayola box.

One of my most memorable athletic moments was breaking five minutes in the mile my

senior year in high school. Our school record was 5:01 and had been there since 1981. I ran

it in 4:59.1; despite feeling like death, it was one of the happiest achievements of my life.

I started running when I was in the seventh grade at Miller Middle School. We only had a track team and I was put into a couple of 800s, which I ran well in but hated. So going into my freshmen year of high school, I was planning on playing tennis. But then two of my best friends, Ryne Olson and Tad Elliott, were going out for the cross-country team and thought I should, too. Needless to say, they talked me out of my tennis dreams and now I thank them.

If I could be any cartoon character, I would want to be Raphael, one of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. He is a

ninja, who wouldn’t want to be a ninja?Peanut butter – I love, love, love it! I put it on everything. Crunchy peanut butter is more my style, but if it came down to creamy or nothing, I would absolutely go with creamy; no questions asked.

My favorite movie is the money Pit with Tom Hanks. It’s pretty

much a classic. I watch it every Thanksgiving; it’s sort of

became a family tradition.the kite runner is by far my favorite book of all-time. It is a great story and the only book that ever made me cry; I cried three times.

Eleven is my favorite/lucky number. It’s like winning twice.

(Two ones back to back).

W H o W o u l d n ’ t W a n t t o b e a n i n J a ? ”– l a u r a t H W e a t t

“

My greatest fear is spiders. Yes as simple as that. Halloween is a rough one.

senior, Cross Country | durango High school (durango, Colo.)

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“When I Was a player, I alWays Wanted to play for Colorado and CoaCh (rICardo) patton.”

“I thInk my maIn job Is to be a mentor to the guys.”

– rodney bIllups

A flicker inevitably passes through the eyes of Rodney Billups whenever he watches the University of Colorado’s men’s basketball team sweat through its daily workout at the Coors Events Center. Part of it is envy, anxiousness. Billups, after all, is only 27 years old, and the memories of his short professional career in Europe have yet to dim in the rearview mirror.

The other glimmer in Billups’ pensive stare is a wistfulness for days gone by. There was a stretch when Billups spent much of his time at the Coors Events Center. Not as much as his more celebrated brother, Chauncey, of course, but enough that CU basketball became a prominent vision in Rodney Billups’ trove of childhood memories.

Take, for instance, the time older brother lit up the Kansas Jayhawks, much to the delight of a packed house at the Coors Events Center.

“Probably the biggest memory was Chauncey’s game versus Kansas,” Billups said. “They had Jacque Vaughn and Raef LaFrentz, and they were probably top five or 10 at the time. And at the start of the second half, Chauncey made three or four threes in a row. That was my biggest memory – a sold-out crowd and everybody going crazy. I was happy to be a part of that at that time.”

Thirteen years after older brother left the CU campus, the younger Billups has returned to the Buffaloes men’s basketball program in hopes of helping to bring about the restoration of those glory days.

In June, first-year head coach Tad Boyle hired Billups as CU’s Director of Basketball Operations. Although Billups was unable to fulfill his childhood dream of following in his brother’s footsteps at CU as a player, becoming a cog

there’s another billups back on campus by pat rooney

in the staff dedicated to returning Colorado hoops to the winning ways forged during Chauncey Billups’ reign has proven to be a unique thrill for Rodney.

“This really means a lot,” Rodney Billups said. “When I was a player, I always wanted to play for Colorado and coach (Ricardo) Patton. But I never got that opportunity. I went down the street to Denver, and I was proud to be part of that community. But to have an opportunity to come up to Colorado in the Big 12 (and the Pac-10), it’s great for me.”

Blessed with neither the size nor the jump shot of his older brother, Rodney Billups graduated from George Washington High School and landed not in Boulder, but at the University of Denver. With DU, Billups learned to excel with every ounce of talent he was blessed with, developing into a consummate floor general and a peerless passer in the open floor.

While Rodney certainly never reached the epic heights Chauncey enjoyed during his collegiate career at CU, he nonetheless did justice to the family legacy. As a senior during the 2004-05 season, Billups led the Pioneers to their first 20-win season as a Division I program. Billups posted the third-best single-season assists total in DU history, dishing out 199 while leading the Pioneers to their first berth in the National Invitational Tournament in 46 years.

After finishing his collegiate career ranked fourth on DU’s career assists list, Billups played two years professionally overseas, spending one year in Latvia and another in Finland. Spurred to return to Denver when Billups’ mother fell ill, Rodney spent several seasons interning with the NBA teams that employed Chauncey, serving with the Detroit Pistons before returning to Denver when a 2008 trade brought the Billups duo home.

Rodney Billups interned with the Denver Nuggets, getting mentored largely by former assistant coaches Jamahl Mosley and Tim Grgurich. When a few potential opportunities to return to DU failed to develop, Billups was pondering his next move when former CU coach Jeff Bzdelik approached him about a possible opening on his staff in Boulder. Billups, naturally, was intrigued. Yet when Bzdelik left Boulder for Wake Forest, Billups assumed the offer was a casualty of circumstance. At least until he sat down with Boyle for the first time.

“I tried to get on at DU a couple times and the opportunity passed,” Billups said. “I was kind of in the wind, doing some stuff for the Nuggets with coach Grgurich. Coach Bzdelik was the first one who contacted me about the job. I was excited to work for him, but when he left for Wake Forest, I didn’t know what was going on. Coach Boyle called and we had a couple meetings over lunch

18

and the excitement came back. It was great to be able to meet Coach Boyle and learn about his success at Northern Colorado, and to be able to work for him is an outstanding opportunity.”

Much like he did while sprinting up the floor for DU, Billups hit the ground running when he was introduced to the CU program in June. As Director of Basketball Operations, Billups juggles many administrative chores, assisting in a multitude of endeavors from scheduling to travel accommodations to serving as a liaison between the program and CU’s compliance department.

Moreover, though, Billups views himself as a mentor to the Buffaloes’ players. Not that far removed from his playing days himself, Billups can relate to the pressures endured by Division I athletes. And even though he never got to lead a fast break at the Coors Events Center, there is little doubt Rodney Billups wants to see the gymnasium jumping with excitement the way it was when his older brother was running the show.

“I think my main job is to be a mentor to the guys. In our first meeting, that is one of the first things Coach Boyle mentioned – being able to relate to the guys and talk to them and be there for them. I take that with pride,” said Billups, who earned a degree in business management at DU.

“With the guys we have, the character we have, and the athleticism we have, I think we have a chance to do something special. For this to be my first year back in college, I’m so excited. It’s fun for me. The most important thing is our mentality. Our mentality with Coach Bzdelik was offense, offense, offense with the Princeton system. Coach Boyle brings a lot of energy on defense and toughness. If we can change the program to that, this program will go through the roof. I think the possibilities are endless.”

“When I Was a player, I alWays Wanted to play for Colorado and CoaCh (rICardo) patton.”

– rodney bIllups

“I thInk my maIn job Is to be a mentor to the guys.”

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Q&At H e s t a m P e d e g o e s o n e - o n - o n e W i t H d o m i n a n t - C o a C H - t u r n e d - r e s P e C t e d -

a d m i n i s t r a t o r C e a l b a r r yi n t e r v i e W b y d a n i e l m o r H m a n

After the 2004-05 basketball season, Ceal Barry retired from her duties as the head coach of the University of Colorado women’s basketball team. She did not walk away for a better offer or a different opportunity; she simply decided that after 26 years of coaching on the hardwood, the demand of being a head coach had become too much for her. Her love for CU could never die, however, and she was instantly offered a position as an associate athletic director within the program. This season, Barry takes the reigns as the immediate athletic department head of the men’s and women’s basketball teams, as well as the women’s volleyball team. Barry took a few minutes to sit down with the stampede to discuss her favorite moments as coach of the Buffs, the current state of CU athletics and whether or not she’s thought about stepping back on the court in a coaching capacity.

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What do you miss the most about coaching at CU?I miss the athletes and teaching. Just going over basic concepts of basketball, as a matter of fact, working with Tad (Boyle) and Linda (Lappe), I kind of get that enthusiasm back for teaching. There isn’t anything I’ve done professionally more gratifying than teaching kids how to grasp the concept; then it works for them.

looking back at your career, what is your favorite moment as coach of the Buffs?It’s hard to name one. I’ve been asked that question a lot and it’s hard to name one. There are a lot of favorites. When we beat Louisiana Tech in 1989, it was the first time we ever knocked off a nationally ranked team and it was the first big win ever for the program. That certainly was a favorite. Beating Stanford in the ’93 regionals was a favorite. Those are big wins, but it was just a lot of little moments that add up over time that made it fun to coach all those years.

What was the key factor in turning the Buffs into a national contender?When I think about our coaches now with Tad, Linda and Liz Kritza, there are three things you have to do well to win here. You have to recruit well. You have to go outside the state of Colorado and go into places like Texas, Minnesota, Iowa and California to be successful. You have to be a great recruiter. You have to develop your athletes from a physical fitness standpoint in terms of strength and conditioning. You have to make them the most well-conditioned team in the nation. That was always my goal; no one was going to be more fit than our team. And the third thing is you have to be a good bench coach. You have to

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supervisor, this year when they were hired. This will be the first year I can really be more hands on. I was talking with Tad a few days ago about his scheduling. We both agree, scheduling is important to a program; how you schedule in non-conference in November and December. Who you play in November or December definitely impacts how you’re going to do in the conference portion of the season. It can’t be too hard; it can’t be too easy. You don’t want to blow all the money on game guarantees; you can use that money for other things in the program to help the program, marketing maybe. Yeah, I have more influence this year, which is exciting to actually be going into Coors Event Center and being welcome there. I’m not sitting in on their practice planning or break down on game film; I don’t do that. But I think I can help both of them manage summer camps, recruiting, scheduling. Things that make a huge difference and little decisions that you make can make a big difference in whether you’re going to bump up in the RPI this year. Men’s basketball is to the point where they’re ready to get to that point. Sixty-eight teams are invited to the NCAA Tournament. Scheduling is real important as to whether or not they get to that RPI. But it’s not so much “Hey, you need to run that drill and run more shooting drills,” not that kind of hands on.

Do you see things differently from working inside the athletic department than you did as a coach working for the athletic department?Definitely. I was talking with Neill Woelk from the daily Camera the other day and I said I would have been a better coach after being an administrator and appreciating from an administrative standpoint what your trainers go through, what your media relations people go through, your marketing people, your academic support people. You have a much greater appreciation for the nuts and bolts, the hard

Q&AC e a l b a r r y

of Utah, women’s basketball has only once place to go – up. Women’s basketball with the Pac-12 now is where we were in 1997 with women’s basketball. We just built it with Baylor, Oklahoma, Kansas State, improving their programs. Do you ever get the “itch” to return to coaching?I do, but I know how difficult it is. It’s very time consuming. You have to be willing to work; it’s no exaggeration to say you have to work 16-hour days, seven days a week, every week of the year. I’ve thought about it. I have to be honest with myself and say “Okay, Ceal do you really want to work every day of the year? Every day. And many of those days, work 16 hours.” And I did that for 26 years. And I would not go back to coaching unless I was willing to say, “I am willing to do that again.” I work hard, but there are other things at this stage of my life that I enjoy doing.

How have you adapted to your new role in the athletic department?I’ve been fortunate to have a mentor and a supervisor like Mike Bohn. He’s given me a lot of leeway, a lot of flexibility. Over time, he’s given me additional responsibilities. I didn’t start out with men’s and women’s basketball. I started off with just overseeing programs. I’ve come to really appreciate the role of administrator and supervisor. It is important that you really show a lot of emotional support for the people who report to you. I’m sure I’ll look back on this portion of my career and go, “I was lucky” just like I do on the basketball portion and say, “I was lucky.” Same thing with the administrative side of it.

Do you maintain any hands-on role, officially or non-officially, with the basketball team?With both men’s and women’s basketball, I’m their immediate supervisor – their sports

call timeouts at the right time, you have to make substitutions at the right time, you have to have a feel for your team. You can’t be at this level and do number one and number two really well and then you’re no good at number three. What do you think about the direction the team is heading in now?I’m very pleased with the work ethic that Linda Lappe and her staff have demonstrated on the recruiting trail. They were hired in April and it’s November now; it’s the recruiting season and they’ve done a very good job. They’ll come in with at least three signees when the first national signing day is for women’s basketball.

What advice would you give Coach lappe for her first year on the job?Knowing Linda the way I know her, I would tell her to be patient. It’s not going to happen this year; it’s not going to happen overnight, where she wants this program to be. When she played, she was in the Elite Eight; that’s top eight in the nation. It’s going to take time for her to get the program back to top eight in the nation. She’s got to be patient, keep working hard. You want to be there in one year, but it’s going to take a while.

you were around during the transition from the Big 8 to the Big 12; do you see any similarities in the transition from the Big 12 to the Pac-12?It’s a little bit different. There are some similarities, some differences. Both are high-profile conferences. When you put schools with the caliber of Texas and Stanford and the resources that they have, Oregon certainly has the resources that Texas and Oklahoma have. You have these marquee schools with big-time donors and bigger athletic facilities. The sport of basketball, for women’s basketball, top to bottom the Big 12 is stronger than the Pac-12. But with the addition

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work of the people who don’t get paid a whole lot, what they’re doing. You have just a greater understanding what those in the foundation are doing to attract donors and how hard it is to attract donors, with the coaches role, how the coaches can help them attract donors. I have much greater appreciation for that side of it.

The direction of CU athletics has changed dramatically since you’ve retired, what are the most positive effects you have seen in that time?Facilities. No question. Facilities. Mike Bohn has put No. 1 on his plate that we need to have enthusiasm and emotion and support. And his slogan from the get-go was “Your Team.” It’s not just CU’s team; it’s not just his team. It’s your team. It’s the campus’ team. It’s the Boulder community’s team. it’s the state of Colorado’s team. And he can’t go out and build facilities without donors and interested fans and support. That’s the biggest thing when I look at it. Soccer was off campus prior to his arrival. The new (indoor basketball) practice facility has gone up fast in the last month. That’s going to be huge for men’s and women’s basketball and volleyball. Volleyball was in Carlson Gym five years ago. That’s where they practiced. The floor wasn’t good, the lighting wasn’t good, the acoustics aren’t good, the locker rooms weren’t good. To take volleyball into nationally ranked, we need to have the facilities to compete with them. So it’s going to be a huge boom, not just men’s basketball but to women’s basketball and women’s volleyball.

The world of college basketball is evolving. We’ve seen limited expansion in the men’s bracket. Can this happen on the women’s side? What are the benefits? The drawbacks?I’m on the chair of the women’s basketball issues committee for the NCAA this year and that’s one

of our issues, one of things that the selection committee is looking at is expanding the women’s tournament. Certainly on the women’s side, you want to make sure you don’t water down the tournament, which I think is an issue on the men’s side, too. You don’t want to water it down to 96. If there are only 64 teams that are at the level, on the men’s side, of say a Duke or Kansas State or Kansas or Kentucky or whoever are the marquee programs. You don’t want to have games just for games sake in the NCAA Tournament because people will get turned off. They will turn the TV off and they’ll stop watching the tournament. They’re only going to watch from the Sweet 16 on. Sort of like how it is in the NBA, some people start watching when you’re in the final series. The women’s tournament, I think it’s a pretty good product right now. Until the first and second rounds are sold out, and Sweet 16s are sold out, there’s no point in adding games because people aren’t really watching it. All it does is give coaches job security so they can say they got an NCAA bid. And of course, coaches are going to want it because there’s 30 more coaches that get job security because they went to the NCAA Tournament. Is that the best thing for the game? I don’t know. But it has competitive games that people like you are going to watch. That drives the TV, which drives the sponsorships, which drives the revenue, which pays for the games. That’s not happening for first and second rounds for women’s games, so they probably shouldn’t do it.

Coaches like Pat Summit and Geno auriemma have consistently kept their programs among the elite in the nation, what will it take for this to happen at CU?Recruiting. We had it at that level I’d say from ’92 to’04. Well, really from ’89, we were top 10. So for 15 years maybe, we had it at that level. What has sustained those two programs over the

years is they continually get the Diana Taurasis and the Candice Parkers, the best players. Right now, Maya Moore is the best player in the nation. They’ve dominated the All-American list for the last 20 years. You have to have the players. You can’t even begin to talk about getting to that status unless you can recruit those players.

you spent 22 as the head of this program and brought it into the national spotlight, what does it mean for you to be the standard for CU women’s basketball?By still being employed in the department, I can help this next coach. Even though she played at the standard, it is different to be a player and be the recipient. For Linda, she can say, “I know what it’s like to beat Oklahoma, I know what it’s like to beat Texas Tech. I was on a team that beat Stanford twice. I was on the team. I know the scouting reports, I know the weight lifting and I know the conditioning.” I have to be strategic as far as that standard is concerned, strategic when I talk to one of my former players who is now running the program. I have to pick and choose the time to talk to her about things like coaching the freshmen. If I’m there, it’s part of that standard. I can’t give all of it to her in the first five months. I need to let her live through it the first year, then go “Okay, which one should I attack,” and it goes back to those three things – recruit, develop and be a good bench coach. You have to be a good bench coach. You have 30 times to go out there; I think the coach makes a difference in about 10 of those, on the bench. The other 20, we won or lost in practice. Being the standard at CU is different than Utah. CU is different than Texas. It’s different than K-State or Iowa or Notre Dame or Connecticut or Tennessee. It’s different from all those places. So it is unique and I think I can help give that experience to this next coach. I always believed experience plays beyond the sport.

“ i W o u l d H a v e b e e n a b e t t e r C o a C H a f t e r b e i n g

a n a d m i n i s t r a t o r ”– C e a l b a r r y

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It is the heart of football season, yet on this day, basketball clearly is in the air at the Coors Events Center. As is an inescapable sense of change.

On the floor, men’s head coach Tad Boyle is barking instructions to a group of players still absorbing the new system and nuances of the Buffaloes’ first-year coach. A full examination of the surroundings, however, reveals far more elements of change than a few young men trying to remember their defensive assignments.

Upstairs, former Buffaloes standout Linda Lappe is preparing for her debut as the head coach of the women’s team, pouring over game notes while silently praying – much like her newcomer counterpart, Boyle – that her team has fully incorporated at least a few of the new schemes and philosophies she has been preaching since returning to CU in the spring.

Still, this sense of change extends far beyond the new leaders of CU’s two basketball programs. While Boyle puts the men’s team through its paces, a wall in the corner of the arena is adorned with banners of the Buffaloes’ league foes. These days, the display is less a respectful homage than it is a tribute to a fading age, as the banners for such longtime rivals as Nebraska, Kansas and Oklahoma soon will be replaced by the Buffaloes’ new rivals from the Pac-10, such as UCLA, Arizona and fellow conference newcomer Utah.

From beyond that wall, a few more echoes of progress filter into the arena, with the mechanical grunts of jackhammers and the bleeps of industrial trucks in reverse filling the air as a whole new set of practice facilities and administrative spaces slowly take shape.

New coaches, a new conference, new facilities. It is a time of change within the entire University of Colorado basketball program. And it is an exciting, enticing thought for all involved – be it fans, the players, staff or administration. “For some reason, with the appointment of Tad and Linda, there is a new sense of accountability in both programs,” said CU associate athletic director Ceal Barry, who put CU women’s basketball on the map nationally during a wildly successful 22-year coaching career that ended in 2005. “With Tad being a Greeley native and Linda being an alum, they believe in a lot of the same things. Ever since they were hired, there has been a tremendous amount of excitement and enthusiasm around the programs. That’s what I’ve felt.” The new construction taking shape just a few long jump shots away from the main floor at the Coors Events Center is a fitting metaphor for the reconstruction projects being undertaken by Lappe and Boyle. Both programs are being razed and rebuilt by the new leaders in hopes of restoring glory to programs whose national relevance keeps slipping further and further into the archives.

“It definitely is an exciting time, but it is going to take a lot of work,” said Boyle, the Colorado native hired in the spring after leading the program at the University of Northern Colorado to unprecedented heights. “The new facilities, the new conference, it all is a part of the process. But what has to come first is the attitude of the players. They need to – and have so far – buy into the methods and ideas we are teaching. It isn’t going to be easy, but it is exciting to get these new foundations in place.”

Added Lappe on the eve of her debut, a 38-point win against Regis: “We’ve had a lot of work to do prior to this point, but we’re all excited to finally put the uniforms on. We’re extremely excited. Just to do game-to-game now instead of practice-to-practice, you can learn so much more from other teams exploiting your weaknesses. That is how you get better. “We have to get better, but every team is like that at this time of year. Especially with a new coaching staff. We’re implementing a lot of new things. We’re implementing not only new schemes, but entirely new philosophies on things. The players have to keep an extremely open mind going in. In sports in general, there are a million different ways to do things. We’re trying to help our team become the best that they can be, as fast as we can get there. That is always a challenge to do.” Unfortunately, the reconstruction projects being led by Boyle and Lappe will not be as mechanical as clearing a parcel of land and erecting a few steel girders. Neither program has reached the postseason, or even enjoyed a winning season, in some time. The men’s team has made only two appearances in the NCAA Tournament since 1970, reaching the Big Dance in 1997 and 2003. (The men’s program reached the NIT tournament six times during that span, most recently in 2006, when the Buffaloes enjoyed their last winning season.) Since Barry hung up her coach’s whistle, the women’s team has suffered through similar frustration. After reaching the NCAA Tournament 12 times during Barry’s 22

“there Is a neW sense of aCCountabIlIty In both programs.”– Ceal barry

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“there Is a neW sense of aCCountabIlIty In both programs.”

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seasons, including six trips into the Sweet 16, the women’s program has endured four losing seasons in five years since Barry moved into her administration role – a streak that includes five losing seasons in six years when Barry’s final 9-19 season is factored into the equation.

For the two new coaches, restoring such glory is a personal vendetta. To take nothing away from their predecessors – Jeff Bzdelik on the men’s side, Kathy McConnell-Miller for the women – but no coach can bring the sort of passion to any job displayed by a native (Boyle) or an alum (Lappe).

Boyle grew up frequently attending CU games and often dreamed of donning the black and gold. Lappe, of course, did represent the Buffaloes, playing in 115 games for CU under Barry while helping to lead the Buffaloes to an appearance in the Elite Eight in 2002.

“We all know the tradition, and that’s why our entire coaching staff is on board,” Lappe said. “For me personally, obviously when it’s your alma mater, you take an extra sense of urgency and take more pride in getting the program back. You have friends and different alumni that are saying ‘Good luck,’ or ‘You can get it done.’ They’ve been great in giving me an extra sense that I can do it.

“(Coach Barry) has been a huge help. So far, it has been more on the administrative side of things. But as we get more into games, I’m sure we’ll talk hoops more often than we do currently. I know we will. So that will be exciting, getting to pick her brain a little bit and getting to use her as much as we can. But she has been a huge help. She’s

a mentor. And she is trying to take as much off of our plate as she can, which is great when you are trying to rebuild a program.”

Having a new practice facility in place will provide a huge boon, as well. Construction on the new basketball and volleyball additions to the Coors Events Center, expected to be completed in the spring, finally will give a home base to the basketball programs that neither team has been able to enjoy. Such headaches as coordinating practice times around class schedules, having office spaces near the practice floors, and having basketball-specific locker rooms and players’ lounges will finally put the CU programs on the same level as their current rivals in the Big 12 Conference and their future rivals in the soon-to-be rechristened Pac-12.

“(Athletic director) Mike (Bohn) has been quietly building what he calls the ‘Basketball Enterprises,’ starting with moving the basketball offices over there, moving the weight room over there, putting the new floor in over there,” Barry said. “It boils down to leadership, and I think we have the right people in Linda and Tad. I think we have a foundation in place. To have a new practice facility will be a huge boost. For scheduling, for having a home base for the program, it is absolutely essential.

“That said, if we don’t win games, we won’t get recruits. Recruits, they don’t want to play directional teams or hyphenated teams in nonconference. They want to see the basketball headquarters all centralized on campus. We finally are heading in that direction.”

The other direction both programs are moving is west – as in, the West Coast, as part of the new conference affiliation with the Pac-10-soon-to-be-12. Much has been made about the rabid alumni base CU enjoys on the West Coast, yet for each basketball program, the logistical change will perhaps be impacted most immediately on the recruiting trail.

Traditionally, like most Big 12 schools, both squads have drawn heavily from Texas. CU no longer will have a regular presence in that basketball hotbed, although doors will be opened in California (there are five California natives on the women’s team this year and two on the men’s team, though Boyle signed three more California recruits this fall) and in the northwest, an often-overlooked bastion of prep talent.

“We’re excited for the move,” Lappe said. “We’re excited for change. Any time you have change, you can get a lot of excitement out of that. With our new staff and the new practice facility and the conference change, it seems like there is a ton of change going on, and we’re going to try and use that to create a level of excitement for our program.

“Obviously, the Big 12 is a great conference, but the Pac-10 is also a great conference. I think it’s a conference that is on the up-and-up. Recruiting is still kind of up in the air. Our coaches like recruiting players from Texas and players from the Midwest. So that is a question mark, whether we’ll still get players from those areas. At the same time, it makes recruiting in the northwest a lot better, and there are a lot of great players in the state of Washington and California. It will make it even more

“It boIls doWn to leadershIp, and I thInk We have the rIght people.”– Ceal barry

28

“It boIls doWn to leadershIp, and I thInk We have the rIght people.”

29

appealing to those players now that we will be playing out west more.”

By the time CU enters the fray in the Pac-12, Boyle and Lappe hope to have their programs moving in the right direction. Boyle wants to recreate the excitement he witnessed when he traveled from Greeley throughout his childhood to cheer for the Buffs. Lappe, naturally, can still hear the resounding ovations that were showered upon her and her teammates during the glory days of Barry’s coaching tenure.

Both coaches are eager to restore such excitement and tradition at the Coors Events Center. And both share a similar vision as to how that will be achieved. While the new facilities are a must, both for practical and recruiting purposes, and the conference shift will provide a new dynamic and fresh rivalries, neither dynamic will instantly lift the Buffaloes’ hoops teams into national prominence.

That will take hard work, discipline and a devotion to doing the little things correctly – a vision shared equally by Boyle and Lappe. “Really, it comes down to attitude and doing the little things,” Boyle said. “Are we hustling at both ends of the floor? Are we working hard for good shots and playing with, and for, each other on defense? Those are the sorts of things fans respond to. If our team is doing that, if we are making all the hustle plays and selling out every time we step on the floor, fans are going to respond to that. Will that mean we instantly are going to get wins? Of course not. But if we are doing those sorts of blue-collar things, the wins will come and the excitement will be back.”

And for the native coach and the alum, nothing will be finer than restoring that energy when the Buffaloes hit the floor at the Coors Events Center.

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Colorado Athletics has so much to look forward to in 2011 – the Pac 12 move and the Coach Embree era. But before I completely focus on 2011, I would like to take this opportunity to reflect on what we (Buffs) have to be thankful for in the past year. Our 350 CU student-athletes, the court sport practice facility taking shape, and all our donors and fans come to mind. I especially want to say thank you to the seniors from our fall sports who have reached the end of their journey as student-athletes for the Buffs. Their grit, determination, talent, and ability to balance school and sports are part of what make them truly impressive individuals. Reading Rosie Steinhaus’s story only confirms my assessment; she will be graduating with a degree in mechanical engineering, one of the hardest majors at CU. To be a part of the community that supports these young people is definitely worth being thankful for. In the spirit of gratitude and generosity, the Buff Club recently mailed out the end-of-year renewal campaign letter that introduced a new online donor account management tool. We are providing you the opportunity to renew your donations ONLINE! We are continually striving to make giving

to Colorado Athletics meaningful and easy. This is the perfect time to solidify your support of CU student-athletes in 2011, and we hope that the ability to manage your donor account conveniently online will be a welcome option to the many ways you can give. We encourage you to pass this along to your friends who are also Buffs fans to have them sign up to become Buff Club members. They can create their Buff Club account and donate instantly online. The Buff Club would like to wish our donors a happy New Year! 2010 brought a lot of good change to CU Athletics, and you have stayed with us through it all – new conference, new coaches, a new CU. The amazing energy from these changes is palpable, and I wish I could hit the fast forward button to kick off of the inaugural year in the Pac-12. Unfortunately, I do not have a time machine, so we will all have to wait in utter anticipation for what is to come. Until then, the Buff Club appreciates your commitment and support of the University of Colorado Buffaloes.

Go Buffs! Natalie Pigliacampo

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