Buffs Gearing Up For Barry's Home Finale

   This Wednesday, the University of Colorado women's basketball team will not only say goodbye to its seniors at the annual Coors Events Center finale, but to its coach who was hired one day after Gandhi won best picture at the 1983 Academy Awards.

   Ceal Barry announced last Thursday morning that she would retire at the end of the season after 22 years at the reins of the Buffalo program.  She was hired on April 12, 1983 to lead CU into the first year of official competition in the Big Eight Conference.

   Wednesday is being billed as "Senior Salute With A Special Tribute To Coach Ceal Barry" when the Buffaloes entertain Nebraska in a 7 p.m. tip-off in Boulder.  Veronica Johns-Richardson and Sarah Lini will play in their final home game and will be honored postgame prior to the salute to Barry.

   Several promotions are set for the game: the first 1,000 students and 1,000 general public fans will receive a free commemorative Ceal Barry T-shirt and the first 2,500 fans will receive a Ceal Barry button.  It's also Fan Appreciation Night, as there will be a 50 percent discount on CU apparel and merchandise at the novelty stands.

   Fans who would like to do so are also asked to bring a card for Ceal with a personal note. Those will be collected at the entrances and presented to her postgame.

   Several of her former players will be attending the game, some as from as far away as southern California, as Shelley Sheetz will travel back to Boulder.  Sheetz, one of Barry's top players, is an assistant coach at the University of San Diego.

   Barry has coached the most games, matches or tournaments (667) and the sixth most seasons (22) of any sport in Colorado athletic history.  Her 426 victories are also the most by any coach at the school and the second most by any coach in any sport in state of Colorado history.

   CU officials are hopeful of filling the arena for Ceal's last game; with a large walk-up expected on game night, fans may want to purchase tickets ahead of time.   General admission seats cost $3 (child/seniors) and $7, with reserve seats available from $9 to $15.