Third Head Coach JR Payne Season

JR Payne enters her third the final. season as head coach at the University of Colorado CU finished the 2017-18 season strong, winning its first- in 2018-19. She was named round Pac-12 Tournament game over Utah, and going 3-3 the eighth head women’s over the final six games, despite playing two top-25 teams. basketball coach in program history on March 28, 2016. Santa Clara In her first year in 2016-17, Payne joined Colorado after leading Santa Clara to its first Payne guided the Buffs to winning record in eight years. Santa Clara was 23-9 this in one of the best single-season 2015-16, tying for third in the West Coast Conference with a turnarounds in school history 13-5 league mark. The Broncos’ season ended with a 59-53 as they more than doubled loss at Fresno State in the first round of the Women’s NIT, the their win total from the school’s first postseason appearance in 10 seasons. SCU previous year. CU finished the was down by 11 at one point but rallied to tie the game at year 17-16 overall and tied 52-52 with just under four minutes to go before falling to the for ninth in the Pac-12, a year Bulldogs. after a last-place finish in the conference. The Buffs also One of the wins included a 61-58 victory at No. 13 Stanford, reached the third round of the Santa Clara’s first win at its Bay Area rival in 32 years; it was WNIT, their first postseason appearance since 2014. the second win on what would become a 12-game winning streak. It was just one of seven regular-season setbacks for

Throughout the 2016-17, Colorado was impressive. CU the Cardinal, which advanced to the Elite Eight. The Broncos Colorado started the season 10-0 for just the fifth time in school history, defeated Gonzaga 59-58 in the quarterfinal round of the WCC including a win over No. 15/19 Kentucky. She became just tourney before falling in the semifinals to BYU, an eventual the second CU coach to begin her career with 10 straight No. 7 seed in the NCAA tournament. wins and the first since 1980. The 10-game winning streak was the longest since 2012. In Pac-12 play, the Buffs’ The Broncos were one of the nation’s top defensive teams, signature win came on Feb. 12 when they upset No. 24 allowing opponents just 37 percent shooting (40th in the California on the road, their first win over a ranked team on NCAA) and 58.4 points per game (54th), while forcing 21.7 the road since 2007. turnovers (sixth) and averaging 12.6 steals (third); Santa Clara was also 29th in rebound margin (+7.2). Three players earned postseason awards from the Pac-12, including first-team All-conference sophomore Kennedy Leonard, who was among the conference and national leaders in scoring, assists, steals and assist/turnover ratio.

Haley Smith and Alexis Robinson were both named honorable Basketball mention All-Pac-12 and Smith was also honorable mention for the All-Defensive Team. In 2015-16, the season prior to Payne’s arrival, CU went just 7-23. By reaching eight wins in the eighth game of the 2016- 17 season, it was the earliest in a season CU had exceeded its previous season’s win total in the modern era (since 1978- 79). The Buffs’ big turnaround was keyed by the team’s ball control, ability to turn others over, and scoring. Colorado finished the 2016-17 season 12th in the nation in steals and 22nd in turnover margin. After averaging just 61.9 points in 2015-16, good for 218th nationally, the Buffs cracked the top 100 in the nation in scoring in 2016-17, finishing 90th at 68.9 points per game. Payne’s second season in Boulder in 2017-18 was filled with youth as the team welcomed eight newcomers and had just two seniors. The Buffs still managed a 15-16 overall record and matched her first season with a 5-13 finish in Pac-12 play. CU improved its offense to average 69.5 points, the highest scoring average since 2002-03. But the team’s youth showed on defense as CU was unable to repeat is outstanding pressure from the previous season. Leonard was once again a first-team All-Pac-12 player and broke CU’s single-season assists record. She was also named honorable mention for the Pac-12 All-Defensive Team. Annika Jank earned Pac-12 Freshman of the Week honors three times, the most for a Buff since Arielle Roberson won it five times in 2012-13. She was also an honorable mention selection to the Pac-12 All-Freshman Team. Payne once again made a mark in non-conference play and she now has the best regular-season non-conference record of a CU head coach through two seasons at 19-3 (.864). Highlighting the non-conference portion of the schedule was a win over No. 24 Miami (Fla.) and a Rocky Mountain Hoops Classic championship as the Buffs defeated George Mason in

13 NCAA Tournaments, 6 Sweet Sixteens, 3 Elite Eights 5 Payne’s List Position Noteworthy Head Coach, Colorado (2016-current) 1 WNIT, 32-32 record Head Coach, Santa Clara (2014-2016) 1 WNIT, 34-27 record Head Coach, Southern Utah (2009-14) 1 WNIT, 1 Big Sky championship, 23-10 record in final season Assistant Coach, Santa Clara (2008-09) Assisted Jennifer Mountain Assistant Coach, Boise State (2005-08) Assisted Gordy Presnell, 1 NCAA, 1 WNIT, 2 WAC championships Assistant Coach, Gonzaga (2000-05) Assisted current Oregon head coach Kelly Graves, 2 WNIT, 1 WCC championship Playing Career: St. Mary’s, 1995-99 Honors: All-WCC: 1999 WCC All-Tournament: 1998, 1999

Basketball Still ranks 7th at SMC in career assists (291) and 9th in steals (137)

In two seasons at Santa Clara, Payne compiled a 34-27 overall record. Her first team upset LSU 69-67, the school’s first win over an SEC school in 18 years, and advanced to the second round of the WCC tournament. Southern Utah Her first head coaching position was at Southern Utah University (Cedar City), where in five seasons, the Thunderbirds posted a 67-86 record, including a 23-10 mark in 2013-14 that set a school record for wins. That team was also 15-5 in league play, earning a share of the Big Sky Conference’s regular season title, and earned SUU’s Colorado first-ever invitation to postseason play, the women’s NIT. Southern Utah won its first round game at Colorado State, 71-56, before succumbing in the second round – 79-68 at Colorado; the Buffs also defeated Payne’s T-Birds during the regular season in Boulder, 75-59, the second time she coached a game in CU’s CU Events Center; SUU also lost a game in Boulder in her first season as its coach. That SUU team set four major school records, including points scored (2,454), field goals made (830) and free throws made (629) and attempted (839); the 74.1 scoring average was the second- best by a Southern Utah team. Her top performer, Hailey Mandelko earned first-team All-Big Sky honors as a junior and senior and was also on the postseason All-Tournament team her final year there. She helped Southern Utah transition from the Summit League into the Big Sky Conference for the 2012-13 season, piloting the Thunderbirds to a 15-16 overall record and a 9-11 mark in league play. Her second SUU team in 2010-11 finished with a 16-14 record, the school’s first winning season in seven years, and more than doubling the win count in her first season when the Thunderbirds were 7-23 (SUU had just 24 wins in the three seasons before her arrival). The senior-led Thunderbirds were 10-8 in Summit League play, with forward Challis Pascucci earning first-team All-League honors. Her third SUU team was 6-23, but reflected her most youthful squad in

6 2018-19 Colorado Women’s Basketball JR Payne Year-By-Year Coaching Record Overall Conference Season School W L Pct. PPG Opp W L Pct. PPG Opp Finish/Conf. 2009-10 Southern Utah 7 23 .233 55.5 70.2 5 13 .278 57.3 69.6 8th / Summit League 2010-11 Southern Utah...... 16 14 .533 68.0 71.8 10 8 .556 69.5 72.7 5th / Summit League 2011-12 Southern Utah...... 6 23 .207 58.4 70.6 2 16 .111 57.3 70.3 10th / Summit League 2012-13 Southern Utah...... 15 16 .484 69.7 68.1 9 11 .450 69.2 69.2 7th / Big Sky 2013-14 Southern Utah...... 23 10 .697 74.4 67.4 15 5 .750 75.0 66.1 t-1st / Big Sky 2014-15 Santa Clara...... 11 18 .379 64.9 69.3 5 13 .278 64.3 69.8 7th / West Coast 2015-16 Santa Clara...... 23 9 .731 65.5 58.4 13 5 .722 65.3 57.9 t-3rd / West Coast 2016-17 Colorado...... 17 16 .515 68.9 66.3 5 13 .278 60.3 68.2 t-9th / Pac-12 2017-18 Colorado...... 15 16 .484 69.5 68.9 5 13 .278 64.5 72.9 9th / Pac-12 Career Totals...... 133 145 .478 ...... 69 97 .416

her coaching career, with no seniors and just two juniors, but coach at Oregon for her last two, with the Gaels posting a 79- formed the nucleus for the T-Birds success two years later. 38 record with her as a player.

Assistant Coaching Her husband, Toriano Towns, is CU’s associate head coach Colorado and the two have coached together throughout the majority Payne determined that coaching was going to be her career of their coaching careers. They met as student-athletes at St. path after graduating from St. Mary’s (Calif.) in 1999 with Mary’s in college. They have three children together: Aliyah a degree in French. Her first position was as an assistant (9), Jordan (6) and Jaxton (3). coach and recruiting coordinator at Gonzaga under one of her college head coaches, Kelly Graves, where she would spend The Story Behind Her First Name: “JR” is nowhere close to five seasons (2000-01 through 2004-05). Gonzaga went from her real name; her birth name is Ali-Marie. “When I was two, 5-23 in her first season there to a 28-4 mark in her last, which I was always fighting with my older brother. My Dad used to included a 14-0 mark in the WCC. During her time there, she watch Dallas and J.R. Ewing was a tough guy, so he started helped recruit Gonzaga’s first All-American, guard Shannon calling me J.R. It’s just stuck through the years though Mathews as well as help the Bulldogs to their first postseason you’ll find I’m not anywhere as mean as the character on appearance in 10 years with back-to-back invites to the NIT. television.” She doesn’t use periods, however, and goes by “JR.”

She then moved on to Boise State under new head coach Basketball Gordy Presnell for the three seasons (2005-06 through 2007-08); Presnell had replaced a former CU letterwinner, Jen Warden. Together they turned around the fortunes of the Broncos, leading them to a pair of postseason berths, one being the school’s first NCAA tournament appearance in 13 seasons in 2007. BSU was 15-15 in her first season, but then posted 24-9 and 24-8 records in winning two Western Athletic Conference titles. Payne would then go on to serve as the top assistant coach at Santa Clara for the 2008-09 season under Jennifer Mountain. That team had its struggles in going 4-27, and she would eventually replace Mountain as the Broncos’ head coach six years later. Overall in 18 years as an assistant and head coach, she has been a part of four conference championships and seven postseason appearances. She has helped coach two All-Americans, three conference players of the year, 37 All- Conference players and 38 All-Academic team members. Personal She was born in Jackson, Tenn., but her family moved to North Vancouver, B.C., when she was a toddler. She graduated from North Vancouver’s Windsor Secondary School where she started in basketball, earning a scholarship to St. Mary’s (Calif.). Payne earned four letters at St. Mary’s, helping the Gaels to a 26-7 record and their first-ever trip in school history to the NCAA tournament as a senior in 1998-99. The former point guard led the team in assists that season with 131, and still ranks on the school’s all-time top 10 lists for both assists (291, seventh) and steals (137, ninth). She was an All-West Coast Conference first-team performer as a senior and was selected to the WCC All-Tournament Team as a junior and senior, when St. Mary’s won both postseason tournaments. She played under two coaches in her time there, Terri Rubenstein for two seasons and Kelly Graves, now the head

13 NCAA Tournaments, 6 Sweet Sixteens, 3 Elite Eights 7 What Others Are Saying / Have Said About JR Payne Gordy Presnell – Boise State Head Coach “I am excited for Colorado and JR. Everywhere she has gone gets better, so Colorado got better today. JR is a tremendous coach, I am really excited for her and what she will accomplish at Colorado. Success absolutely follows her wherever she goes and her student-athletes will love playing for her.”

Kelly Graves – Oregon Head Coach “I’m very excited for JR to join the Pac-12. She was a great player for me at Saint Mary’s, always a leader on the floor. As an assistant coach, JR was instrumental in recruiting the players that helped turn Gonzaga into a national program. She’s had great success as a head coach and I’m confident she will be able to do the same at Colorado.”

*Challis Pascucci, Southern Utah (former player) “Coach JR and her coaching staff are the most dedicated and devoted coaches that I have ever played for. They have passion for the game, and the drive to be better. JR is an outstanding balance of being competitive and caring. She will positively push you to your limits to be successful, as a team and individually. Coach JR not only developed me as player but as a person. Now that I am a part of the professional world, I have been able to implement the drive for success, and the strong work ethic. JR has made such an impact on my life and I will always look up to her.”

*Tasha Harris, Boise State (former player, 2008 WAC Scoring Champion) “She has been a role model for me since the day I met her. She has been a huge part of who I am today and I can never repay her for that. But as far as JR as a person and a coach, JR cares not only about the Basketball success of the team as a whole but for the players first and foremost. She strives to better the individual for the purpose of team success but individual development as well.” *—archived quotes from past publications. Payne Against Opponents W L W L W L Air Force...... 4 0 Mississippi Valley State...... 2 0 SMU...... 1 0 Arizona...... 2 1 Montana...... 1 4 South Dakota...... 0 2 Arizona State...... 0 3 Montana State...... 2 4 South Dakota State...... 2 5 Arizona Christian...... 1 0 New Mexico State...... 1 1 Southeastern Louisiana...... 1 0 Colorado Boise State...... 1 1 New Orleans...... 1 0 Southern California...... 0 4 BYU...... 0 7 Nicholls...... 0 1 Southern Oregon...... 1 0 California...... 1 2 North Carolina...... 0 1 Stanford...... 1 4 Cal Poly...... 1 1 North Dakota...... 3 2 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi...... 1 0 Centenary...... 4 0 North Dakota State...... 4 4 Texas Tech...... 1 1 Colorado...... 0 3 Northern Arizona...... 1 3 UC Davis...... 1 0 Colorado State...... 3 0 Northern Colorado...... 5 1 UC Riverside...... 0 1 Darthmouth...... 0 1 Oakland...... 1 6 UC Santa Barbara...... 3 0 Drake...... 1 0 Ohio...... 1 0 UCLA...... 0 3 Eastern Washington...... 1 3 Ohio State...... 0 1 UMKC...... 0 6 Evansville...... 1 0 Oral Roberts...... 1 6 UNLV...... 1 2 Fresno State...... 0 1 Oregon...... 2 3 Utah...... 3 4 Floria Atlantic...... 1 0 Oregon State...... 1 4 Utah State...... 0 2 George Mason...... 1 0 Pacific...... 3 3 Utah Valley...... 8 1 Georgia Tech...... 0 1 Pepperdine...... 4 0 Washington...... 2 3 Gonzaga...... 2 4 Portland...... 5 0 Washington State...... 2 3 Hope International...... 1 0 Portland State...... 4 0 Weber State...... 5 1 Houston Baptist...... 1 1 Sacramento State...... 4 1 Western Illinois...... 2 4 Idaho State...... 2 4 St. Francis Brooklyn...... 1 0 Westminster (Mo.)...... 1 0 Iowa...... 0 1 Saint Mary’s...... 1 3 Westminster (Utah)...... 2 0 IPFW...... 2 4 Samford...... 1 0 Wyoming...... 0 1 IUPUI...... 4 2 San Diego...... 1 4 TOTALS...... 133 145 Kentucky...... 1 0 San Francisco...... 3 1 LIU Brooklyn...... 1 0 San Francisco State...... 1 0 Loyola Marymount...... 2 2 San Jose State...... 1 1 LSU...... 1 0 Santa Clara...... 1 1 Miami (FL)...... 1 0 Simpson...... 1 0

8 2018-19 Colorado Women’s Basketball Third Associate Head Coach Toriano Towns Season

Toriano Towns begins his third season as associate head Towns’ Chart coach with the University of Colorado women’s basketball Coaching Career: program in 2017-18. His wife, JR Payne, coaches the offense Associate Head Coach, Colorado (2016-current) and Towns is in charge of CU’s 1 WNIT, 32-32 record defensive scheme. Associate Head Coach, Santa Clara (2014-16) In his first year in 2016-17, 1 WNIT, 34-27 record Towns helped the Buffs to one of the best single-season Associate Head Coach, Southern Utah (2009-14) turnarounds in school history 1 WNIT, 1 Big Sky championship as they more than doubled their win total from the previous Assistant Coach, Boise State (2005-09) year. CU finished the year 17-16 overall and tied for 1 NCAA, 1 WNIT, 2 WAC championships ninth in the Pac-12, a year after a last-place finish in the conference. The Buffs also reached the third round of the Assistant Coach, Arizona (2004-05)

WNIT, their first postseason appearance since 2014. 1 NCAA Colorado Throughout the 2016-17, Colorado was impressive. CU Assistant Coach, Gonzaga (2001-04) started the season 10-0 for just the fifth time in school 1 WNIT history, including a win over No. 15/19 Kentucky. Towns helped his wife become just the second CU coach to begin her career with 10 straight wins and the first since seed and eventual champion Oregon. 1980. The 10-game winning streak was the longest since 2012. In Pac-12 play, the Buffs’ signature win came on Leonard was named first-team All-Pac-12 and was Feb. 12 when they upset No. 24 California on the road, selected to the honorable mention for the Pac-12 All- their first win over a ranked team on the road since 2007. Defensive Team. She also broke CU’s single-season assists record. Annika Jank earned Pac-12 Freshman of Three players earned postseason awards from the Pac-12, the Week honors three times, the most for a Buff since including first-team all-conference sophomore Kennedy Arielle Roberson won it five times in 2012-13. She was Leonard, who was among the conference and Basketball national leaders in scoring, assists, steals and assist/turnover ratio. Haley Smith and Alexis Robinson were both named honorable mention all- Pac-12 and Smith was also honorable mention for the All-Defensive team.

In 2015-16, the season prior to Payne and Towns’ arrival, CU went just 7-23. By reaching eight wins in the eighth game of the 2016-17 season, it was the earliest in a season CU had exceeded its previous season’s win total in the modern era (since 1978-79).

The Buffs’ big turnaround was keyed by the team’s ball control, ability to turn others over, and scoring. Colorado finished the 2016-17 season 12th in the nation in steals and 22nd in turnover margin. After averaging just 61.9 points in 2015-16, good for 218th nationally, the Buffs cracked the top 100 in the nation in scoring in 2016-17, finishing 90th at 68.9 points per game.

CU went 15-16 in Towns’ second season in 2017- 18. The Buffs were a young squad, with eight newcomers and just two seniors. They breezed through non-conference play, finishing 9-2 with a win over No. 24 Miami (Fla.) and a Rocky Mountain Hoops Classic championship.

After a slow stretch in Pac-12 play, the Buffs finished the season strong, going 3-3 over their final six games, including facing two top-25 opponents. CU topped Utah in the first round of the Pac-12 Tournament before bowing out to top

13 NCAA Tournaments, 6 Sweet Sixteens, 3 Elite Eights 9 also an honorable mention selection to the Pac-12 All- Freshman Team.

During his time at Santa Clara, he served as the team’s defensive coordinator and also worked with the post players where he helped transform Santa Clara into one of the country’s top defensive teams. In 2015-16, the Broncos held opponents to 37 percent shooting, which ranked 40th in the NCAA, forced more than 20 turnovers per game (sixth), averaged 12.6 steals (third) and allowed just 58.4 points per contest (54th).

Ahead of his time in Northern California, Towns spent five seasons as associate head coach with Southern Utah alongside Payne. Towns was the team’s recruiting and defensive coordinator, assisted with the planning of practice sessions, conditioning, scouting, and also worked with the Thunderbird post players.

In his first four seasons with the Thunderbirds, Towns helped forward Challis Pascucci develop into one of the premiere low-post players in the Summit League. After the 2009-10 season Pascucci earned All-Summit League second team honors after leading the conference in rebounding and tied for the lead in blocked shots. She also set the SUU single-season record for total rebounds with 291 and her 46 blocks were the fifth most in SUU single-season history. Pascucci earned a spot on the All-Summit League first team after finishing third in the conference in scoring (17.7 PPG), second in rebounding

Basketball (9.7 RPG) and sixth in blocks (23). Pascucci finished the 2011 season as the Thunderbirds all-time leader in career rebounds (929) and fourth in scoring (1,328).

Towns joined SUU after coaching four years at Boise State University as the Broncos defensive coordinator. During his time at BSU, the Broncos claimed two straight Western Athletic Conference championships, earned a trip to the NCAA tournament, advanced to the second round of the WNIT tournament, had a pair of First Team All-WAC guards and set numerous offensive and defensive school records.

Colorado Prior to Boise State, Towns spent one season as an assistant coach at the University of Arizona under Joan Towns earned his bachelor’s degree in communications Bonvicini, helping the Wildcats record a 20-win season from Saint Mary’s College in 1998 and his Master’s and post a first-round NCAA Tournament victory against Degree in Organizational Leadership from Gonzaga the University of Oklahoma. Towns played a key role in University. At SMC, Towns also played football and served recruiting and scouting at Arizona. He worked with the as a male practice player for the women’s basketball Wildcat post players, assisting with the development team. of Shawntinice Polk who became one of the country’s most decorated post players being named to the Kodak/ He and Payne have coached together throughout the WBCA All-American team, first-team All-Pac-10 team, and majority of their coaching careers. They met as student- Kodak/WBCA all-Region 8 team. athletes at St. Mary’s in college and have three children together: Aliyah (9), Jordan (6) and Jaxton (3). Towns also Towns’ coaching career began at Gonzaga University has another daughter, Arianna (22). where he served as an assistant for three seasons. At Gonzaga, Towns was responsible for post player development, where he coached five All-West Coast Conference performers along with holding responsibility for scouting and game preparation. He also served as the co-recruiting coordinator for the Bulldogs. During his time at Gonzaga, he helped orchestrate the second-best turnaround in WCC history as the Bulldogs went from eighth in 2002-03 to second place in 2003-04, posting an 18-12 overall record. That team advanced to its second- ever Women’s National Invitational Tournament (WNIT).

10 2018-19 Colorado Women’s Basketball Third Assistant Coach Shandrika Lee Season

Shandrika Lee is in her third season as an assistant coach Lee’s Chart at the University of Colorado in 2018-19. Coaching Career: In her first year in 2016-17, Lee Assistant Coach, Colorado (2016-current) helped the Buffs to one of the 1 WNIT, 32-32 record best single-season turnarounds Assistant Coach, Santa Clara (2014-16) in school history as they more 1 WNIT, 34-27 record than doubled their win total from the previous year. CU finished Assistant Coach, Oregon (2011-14) the year 17-16 overall and tied Assistant Coach, Army (2009-11) for ninth in the Pac-12, a year after a last-place finish in the Assistant Coach, Cal Poly (2005-09) conference. The Buffs also reached the third round of the Playing Career: WNIT, their first postseason Pepperdine, 2000-04 appearance since 2014. First-team All-WCC: 2004 Throughout the 2016-17, Colorado was impressive. CU started the season 10-0 for just the fifth time in school history, Academic All-WCC: 2002, 2004 including a win over No. 15/19 Kentucky. The 10-game 2 NCAA, 2 WNIT winning streak was the longest since 2012. In Pac-12 play, the Buffs’ signature win came on Feb. 12 when they upset No. 24 Still ranks 7th at Pepperdine in career steals (183) Colorado California on the road, their first win over a ranked team on the and 16th in scoring (1,172), 3rd in 3-point field goals road since 2007. (173) and free throw percentage (.813) and 9th in Three players earned postseason awards from the Pac-12, 3-point field goal percentage (.348) including first-team all-conference sophomore Kennedy Leonard, who was among the conference and national leaders points, 2.5 assists and 2.5 steals per game before her season in scoring, assists, steals and assist/turnover ratio. Haley was cut short with an ACL injury. Smith and Alexis Robinson were both named honorable mention all-Pac-12 and Smith was also honorable mention for As a guard on Pepperdine’s squad, the Waves qualified the All-Defensive team. for two NCAA Tournaments and made a pair of WNIT appearances. Lee led Pepperdine in steals three out of her Lee joined the Colorado women’s basketball program after four years on campus and ranks seventh all-time in program two seasons as an assistant on JR Payne’s staff at Santa

history with 183 steals. She is the school’s 16th-leading Basketball Clara University where she played a key role in guiding the scoring, tallying 1,172 career points and she also ranks in Broncos to a 23-9 mark in 2015-16 as they posted their first the top 10 in a variety of other categories, including third in winning record since 2008. In addition, she helped lead Santa 3-point field goals (173), third in free throw percentage (.813) Clara to a pair of second round appearances in the West and ninth all-time in 3-point field goal percentage (.348). Coast Conference tournament, highlighted by a semifinals appearance last season after the team finished 13-5 in league A two-time WCC All-Academic nominee, Lee graduated with a play and tied for third in the conference standings. bachelor’s degree in sports medicine. She went on to earn her master’s degree in kinesiology with an emphasis in physical Lee’s move to Colorado marks her second time coaching education and sport studies from Cal Poly in 2008. within the Pac-12 Conference. She served as an assistant coach with the University of Oregon women’s basketball Prior to coaching at the collegiate level, Lee served as the program for three seasons prior to her time at Santa Clara. junior varsity girls’ basketball coach and varsity assistant at Ramona High in Riverside, Calif. She also has experience as a Before her appointment at Oregon, Lee spent two seasons on personal basketball trainer, working with professional-bound the East Coast as an assistant coach at Army West Point. In athletes as well as designing and training women’s basketball her role on the Army staff, she coordinated all recruiting efforts lift, strength and speed programs. and admissions along with overseeing the development of the team’s perimeter players. She also worked on community outreach and alumni relations. A native of Moreno Valley, Calif., Lee’s collegiate coaching career began at Cal Poly. In four seasons with the Mustangs, Lee developed the guards, which included two-time first team all-Big West selection Jessica Eggleston and a pair of all-Big West freshman team honorees in Tamara Wells and Ashlee Stewart. In 2008-09, Lee was a member of the staff that put together Cal Poly’s winningest season as the Mustangs went 21-11 in 32 games. While in San Luis Obispo, Calif., she also led a variety of community outreach programs and fundraising efforts for the team. Lee was the co-director of the Holiday Beach Classic from 2005-09 and directed Cal Poly’s women’s basketball camps. A 2004 graduate from Pepperdine University, Lee played in 98 games and averaged 12.0 points per game during her impressive career. The four-year letterwinner led the Waves in points (13.4 ppg), assists (3.2 apg) and steals (1.4) as a senior (2003-04) on her way to earning first team All-West Coast Conference honors. In her junior year, she averaged 17.6

13 NCAA Tournaments, 6 Sweet Sixteens, 3 Elite Eights 11 Second Assistant Coach Alex Earl Season

Alex Earl is in her third season with the women’s basketball Earl’s Chart coaching staff at Colorado in 2018-19. She begins her Coaching Career: second season as an assistant Assistant Coach, Colorado (2017-current) coach after spending the 2016- 17 season as the Director of 15-16 record Player Development. Director of Player Development, Colorado (2016-17) In her first year in 2016-17, Earl 1 WNIT, 17-16 record helped the Buffs to one of the Assistant Coach, Santa Clara (2015-16) best single-season turnarounds in school history as they more Assistant Coach, Eastern Washington (2014-15) than doubled their win total Assistant Coach, Lamar Community College (2013-14) from the previous year. CU finished the year 17-16 overall and tied for ninth in the Pac-12, a year after a last-place Playing Career: finish in the conference. The Buffs also reached the third Arizona State, 2009-12 round of the WNIT, their first postseason appearance since 2 NCAA 2014. 2 WNIT Started 36 games over four seasons Throughout the 2016-17, Colorado was impressive. CU started the season 10-0 for just the fifth time in school history, including a win over No. 15/19 Kentucky. The 10- game winning streak was the longest since 2012. In Pac-12 play, the Buffs’ signature win came on Feb. 12 when they upset No. 24 California on the road, their first win over a ranked team on the road since 2007.

Three players earned postseason awards from the Basketball Pac-12, including first-team all-conference sophomore Kennedy Leonard, who was among the conference and national leaders in scoring, assists, steals and assist/ turnover ratio. Haley Smith and Alexis Robinson were both named honorable mention all-Pac-12 and Smith was also honorable mention for the All-Defensive team.

Earl came to Boulder after working as an assistant coach for one season under Colorado head coach JR Payne at Santa Clara University.

Colorado A 2013 graduate from Arizona State, Earl returned to the Centennial State after beginning her coaching career at Lamar Community College in Lamar, Colo. where she was the top assistant and recruiting coordinator for one year in 2013-14.

During her time in southeast Colorado, she helped guide the Runnin’ Lopes to their best record since their establishment in 2007. Earl then spent one season as an assistant at Eastern Washington before joining Payne at Santa Clara for the 2015-16 season.

An Oregon native, Earl was a four-year letterwinner at ASU, helping lead the women’s basketball team to four consecutive postseason appearances, highlighted by a trip to the Elite Eight in 2009. A three-point shooting threat throughout her collegiate career, she finished her career among the top long-range shooters in ASU history.

Earl earned her bachelor’s degree from Arizona State in communications.

12 2018-19 Colorado Women’s Basketball Basketball Support Staff

TAD WEDEL Three players earned postseason awards from the Pac-12, including first-team all-conference sophomore Creative Recruiting Kennedy Leonard, who was among the conference and and Media Coordinator national leaders in scoring, assists, steals and assist/ turnover ratio. Haley Smith and Alexis Robinson were Wedel’s position of Creative both named honorable mention all-Pac-12 and Smith was Recruiting and Media Coordinator also honorable mention for the All-Defensive team. will primarily consist of be helping in the area of recruiting by creating Mahoney previously spent two years at Western State graphics and videos for social Colorado University as Associate Athletic Director and media. He will utilize his innovative Senior Women’s Administrator. She handled internal skills to develop creative recruiting pieces that will operations for the athletic department in addition to enhance the entire Buffs recruiting process. Wedel will serving as the head compliance officer in her role as also serve as the team’s video coordinator. Associate Athletic Director and SWA for the Western State Mountaineers. It was her second stint with Western He joins the Buffs after spending two seasons at Tulsa after she spent one year as an assistant coach on the as the women’s basketball video coordinator. In that

2011-12 women’s basketball staff. During her tenure, position, he broke down film for players and coaches, Colorado she played a key role in guiding the team to the Rocky oversaw scouting services, and created recruiting Mountain Athletic Conference Shootout Championship graphics and videos for social media platforms. Prior to game. his time at Tulsa, he served as a student manager with the Kansas women’s basketball program. Prior to her role in Western State’s athletic administration, Mahoney was an assistant coach at Southern Utah Wedel, a native of Canton, Kansas, earned his bachelor’s University from 2012-14 when Colorado head coach degree from the University of Kansas in 2015 in health/ JR Payne was at the helm. Mahoney helped lead physical education. Southern Utah to the program’s first national postseason appearance and first conference championship over

her two-year term. In addition to her coaching duties, Basketball Mahoney coordinated team travel, monitored academic JILL MAHONEY progress, created scouting reports, coordinated game film and managed community service for the Thunderbirds. Director of Operations Before her first term with the Mountaineers, Mahoney Jill Mahoney is in her third season made her coaching debut as an assistant at Grand with the University of Colorado Canyon University in Phoenix, Ariz. In four years on the women’s basketball program as the Antelopes’ staff, she helped GCU win a trio of Pacific director of operations in 2017-18. West Conference Championships and the team made two appearances in the NCAA Division II National Tournament, In her first year in 2016-17, first in 2010 and then again in 2011 with the squad Mahoney helped the Buffs to one advancing to the Sweet Sixteen. of the best single-season turnarounds in school history as they more than doubled their win total from the previous Mahoney, a Russell, Kan., native, was named the year. CU finished the year 17-16 overall and tied for Newcomer of the Year and earned a first-team all- ninth in the Pac-12, a year after a last-place finish in the conference selection during her three-year playing career conference. The Buffs also reached the third round of the at Bethany College in Lindsborg, Kan. A standout guard- WNIT, their first postseason appearance since 2014. forward, she then spent her final year of eligibility at Grand Canyon, leading the team to a perfect record in Throughout the 2016-17, Colorado was impressive. CU conference play and also received all-conference honors. started the season 10-0 for just the fifth time in school history, including a win over No. 15/19 Kentucky. The Mahoney earned her bachelor’s degree in corporate 10-game winning streak was the longest since 2012. In fitness and wellness, and a master’s degree in education Pac-12 play, the Buffs’ signature win came on Feb. 12 administration both from Grand Canyon. when they upset No. 24 California on the road, their first win over a ranked team on the road since 2007.

13 NCAA Tournaments, 6 Sweet Sixteens, 3 Elite Eights 13 Basketball Support Staff SETH PRINGLE NATE DUDZIK Assistant Sports Information Marketing/Promotions Director Nate Dudzik is in his first year as the Marketing and Promotions Manager for Seth Pringle enters his first year at the football, men’s basketball and women’s C o l o r a d o , j o i n i n g t h e C o l o r a d o S p o r t s basketball programs at Colorado. Dudzik Information Staff in August 2018. came to CU after two years at Milwaukee- He serves as the SID for the Buffaloes’ Wisconsin as an Assistant Director of soccer and women’s basketball teams. Marketing working with basketball, Prior to Colorado, Pringle spent five volleyball, soccer and baseball. years at the University of Idaho. He was Prior to Milwaukee, Dudzik was a in charge of volleyball, men’s and women’s tennis and women’s Marketing Assistant at Ball State, as well as a marketing intern at the basketball. At Idaho, he coordinated two NCAA Tournament runs University of Nebraska-Kearney. He also served in roles at Bowling for the Vandals’ women’s basketball team. He was also the press Green State and the Green Bay Bullfrogs. coordinator for the 2018 NCAA Women’s Basketball Regional in Dudzik earned his bachelor’s degree in sports management from Spokane, Wash. Bowling Green State University in December of 2013, and went on Pringle returns to Colorado, having worked in the CU SID office as to receive his master’s in sports administration from Ball State in a student. He graduated from Colorado in 2009 and began working May of 2016. with the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. He has also spent time at the University of Denver and the Western Athletic Conference, before heading to Idaho in 2013. DAN GOLDSTEIN Pringle, a native of Englewood, Colo., and attended Cherry Creek High School. He now resides in Broomfield, Colo. Assistant Ticket Manager Dan Goldstein is in his third season as the assistant ticket manager for women’s CHRIS MILLER basketball. He came to CU during the Assistant Athletic Trainer 2016-17 season after spending three years at the United States Naval Academy as an C h r i s M i l l e r i s b e g i n n i n g h i s fi r s t y e a r w i th assistant ticket manager. Prior to that, he CU’s women’s basketball and cheer teams spent one year at Notre Dame and spent as an assistant athletic trainer in 2018-19. one year working simultaneously with the Basketball He joins the Buffs after spending six University of Denver and Air Force. years at Ohio University where he worked A native of Colorado, Goldstein graduated from Smoky Hill High w i t h w o m e n ’ s b a s k e t b a l l , b a s e b a l l , a n d School and grew up in Centennial. He earned his bachelor’s degree women’s swimming and diving. While at from Florida State University in sport management in 2012. Ohio, the women’s basketball team won tw o r egul ar sea so n MA C c ham pio nshi ps and one MAC Tournament championship, while the baseball team captured a pair of conference tournament titles. ROSI HAUBER Prior to his time at Ohio, Miller was an athletic trainer at Central Michigan for two years, working with wrestling and field hockey. Office Manager The wrestling team won a MAC championship during both of his Rosi Hauber is in her nith year as office seasons with the team. manager for the University of Colorado

Colorado Miller earned his bachelor’s degree from Northern Iowa in 2010 women’s basketball team, assisting in in athletic training and his master’s degree from Central Michigan in virtually every phase of the program’s 2012 in exercise physiology. day-to-day operation. A n a t i v e o f M o v i l l e , I o w a , M i l l e r g r a d u at e d f r o m W o o d b u r y C e n t r a l A CU Athletics veteran, Rosi arrived High Schoo l in 2006 where he compet ed in football a nd track & field. at CU in September 1997, and began a In his spare time, he enjoys hiking, climbing, hunting, fishing and seven-year stint in the athletic director’s kayaking. He has a dog named Talladega. office in 1998. In 2005 she moved over to the marketing and promotions and licensing area where she also assisted with the Alumni C-Club and the East Stadium Club Seats and Suites. Rosi earned her diploma from Northeast Iowa Community college and worked at Iowa State University for 13 years before moving to Colorado in 1987. She grew up on her family’s farm near Cresco, Iowa. Rosi resides in Erie, Colo., with Jim Jokumsen and their Shiba Inu (Dora). She enjoys classic cars, travel, playing cards and college sports.

1314 NCAA Tournaments, 6 Sweet Sixteens, 3 Elite Eights 2018-19 Colorado Women’s Basketball14 Basketball Support Staff

CHRIS HOWLETT DERIC SWANSON Academic Coordinator Executive Director of BuffVision Chris Howlett is in his seventh year in the Deric Swanson is in his 20th year as Herbst Academic Center as he joined the the Executive Director of BuffVision, staff in July 2012. coordinating all aspects of production Howlett serves as the academic involving the video display boards at coordinator for the women’s basketball and Folsom Field and the CU Events Center. soccer teams along with football’s defense. Swanson, 43, is considered one of the His primary role is to design and implement best in his field and came to CU from objective-based academic programming the National Hockey League’s Colorado for student-athletes to improve academic Avalanche, where he had worked for a brief success, time management skills, decision making skills and time as the manager of game entertainment and video production. study skills with the long term goal being graduation, community He had previously worked three-plus seasons with the Colorado involvement and career placement. Rockies Baseball Club, first as a stadium camera operator, and then Prior to his arrival at CU, Howlett served as an athletic academic as video production coordinator, including the 1998 Major League counselor at Florida Atlantic University from 2008-12. His Baseball All-Star Game at CU Field. responsibilities at FAU included the academic oversight of the men’s In 2003, BuffVision won the Golden Matrix Award for “Best Overall

soccer, women’s softball, women’s golf, and women’s volleyball Video Display” in the University Division at the Information Display teams. In addition, Howlett served as the department’s admissions and Entertainment Association (IDEA) conference in Atlanta. Colorado liaison, textbook coordinator, and Life Skills coordinator. The following year, BuffVision was awarded two distinctions, one Howlett attended Western High School in Davie, Fla., where he for the 2004 Aurora Awards, a Platinum Best of Show statue for played baseball and hockey. He earned a bachelor’s of business In-Game Entertainment Graphics/Design, and a Telly Award for The administration degree with a major in management, and minor in Buffalo Stampede, CU’s coaches’ show. In 2006 and 2007, BuffVision accounting, from Florida Atlantic University in 2008. To further his won three more Telly Awards for Swanson’s production, including two education and enhance his leadership and management skills, for the “Ralphie on Campus” institutional spot and another for The Howlett is currently pursuing a Graduate Certificate in Leadership and Buffalo Stampede, and in 2013 earned another Telly for a production Management through the Lockheed Martin Engineering Management involving CU’s Men’s Basketball team and the Navy SEALs. Program at the University of Colorado. He is a 1996 graduate of Colorado State University, earning Howlett is originally from Northampton, England and enjoys his bachelor’s degree in technical journalism and broadcasting. traveling and playing hockey. He and his wife, Rachel have a He graduated Magna Cum Laude and was recognized as CSU’s daughter, Elina. outstanding graduate in journalism. He was born May 24, 1974 in Oakland, Calif., and attended two Basketball high schools. His father was stationed in the Azores, Portugal, ADAM RINGLER and he spent two years at Lajes High School, where he lettered in football, soccer, volleyball and basketball. After moving to Colorado, Assistant Director of Sports he graduated from Liberty High School in Colorado Springs, where Performance he lettered in football. He played volleyball on CSU’s club team for three years. Swanson has also competed in eight IronMan events, Adam Ringler is in his second year as the including a personal best of 11 hours and 29 minutes in Phoenix, assistant speed-strength and conditioning Ariz., in 2009. coach for volleyball and women’s basketball He has two sons, Gavin and Dane. at Colorado, joining the staff during the summer in 2017. Ringler comes to CU after spending the 2010-17 seasons at Wichita ERIC PELLONI State as an assistant coach, working directly with the women’s basketball, volleyball, softball, women’s tennis and women’s golf Assistant Director of BuffVision teams. Eric Pelloni is in his 13th season as the Ringler earned his bachelor’s (’08) and master’s degrees (’10) assistant director of BuffVision, although he in kinesiology from Michigan State where he also served time as a has been involved in CU Athletics for the volunteer and graduate assistant coach from 2006-10. He worked better part of 16 years. closely with the volleyball team and directly oversaw the strength He assists with the video packages for and conditioning program for wrestling, helping the squad place CU’s video display boards and has been six NCAA qualifiers and awarding one All-American. Ringler also on the BuffVision game day crew for 14 assisted with the strength and conditioning programs for 17 Michigan seasons. Pelloni also helps coordinate State Olympic sports and assisted with the men’s and women’s streaming and technical issues between basketball teams. CU Athletics and Pac-12 Enterprises. In high school Ringler earned all-state recognition in wrestling. He When CU Athletics overhauled its official athletic website, CUBuffs. enjoys spending time with his family and doing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. com, in 2003, Pelloni was hired on a part-time basis to create video content and stream live. He has created the majority of the graphic A native of Niles, Mich., Ringler and his wife, Brittney, have a work and assisted in the designing of CUBuffs.com, and has designed daughter, Breslin, and a son, Bear. several women’s basketball media guide covers. Pelloni was also the associate producer of “The Buffalo Stampede” coaches show which aired weekly on FSN Rocky Mountain until ending with Colorado’s transition over to the Pac-12 Networks agreement. Prior to his full-time appointment at CU, Pelloni worked as a

1315 NCAA Tournaments, 6 Sweet Sixteens, 3 Elite Eights 2017-18 Colorado Women’s Basketball15 Basketball Support Staff

freelance video editor/graphic artist in the Denver area, creating video content for both broadcast and non-broadcast applications for a number of clients including Qwest Communications, CU, XCEL MICHELLE WOLCOTT Energy and the United Way of New York City. Pelloni graduated from Metropolitan State College of Denver in Team Physician 1998 and served as an Adjunct Professor at Metro State in 2003-04. Dr. Michelle Wolcott is in her 16th year He and his wife Gabbie, CU’s Director of Operations for Olympic as team physician for the University of Sports, have a son, E.J. and a daughter, Sophia. Colorado women’s basketball program. An orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Wolcott specializes in the management of athletic injuries to the ankle, knee and shoulder. NEILL WOELK She earned her bachelor of science degree Contributing Editor, CUBuffs.com in biology from the University of Utah and Neill Woelk, a veteran journalist of 36 graduated from Georgetown University years with many ties to the University of School of Medicine in 1996. Colorado and Boulder communities, joined Dr. Wolcott completed her internship and residency in orthopedic CUBuffs.com as its contributing editor in surgery at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, Ill., in 2001. July 2015. She also completed a fellowship in sports medicine at the University Woelk spent 30 years as a sports of Iowa Hospital & Clinics in 2002. reporter, columnist, assistant sports editor A member of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons and and sports at the Boulder Daily Camera, the American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine, Dr. Wolcott where he covered a multitude of CU sports spends her free time her son, Henry (6), and daughter Charlotte (4). and events. He also worked for newspapers in Oregon and Utah. Woelk is a 1982 CU graduate and a Colorado native. He was the 1999 Colorado sportswriter of the year and has received numerous STEPHANIE CHU, D.O. Colorado Press Association awards for his work. “The University of Colorado has been part of the fabric of my life Team Physician for most of my life,” Woelk says. “It’s exciting to be part of an athletic Dr. Stephanie Chu has served as team department that has such a storied past and an equally bright future.” physician within CU Athletics since 2008. Working with women’s basketball, soccer and volleyball teams at CU, she specializes Basketball in primary care sports medicine, with NICK SPROUSE personal interests in women’s sports Equipment Manager medicine and endurance athletes. Nick Sprouse rejoined the Colorado Originally from Westerville, Ohio, Chu equipment staff in August of 2016. earned her undergraduate degree from He oversees the equipment needs of Miami University in 1999 and her medical degree from the Ohio the volleyball, lacrosse and men’s and University College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2003. She completed women’s basketball programs. Sprouse her Family Medicine residency and Primary Care Sports Medicine previously served on the CU equipment Fellowship at the University of Connecticut in 2008, working with staff from 2005-2011 and during that time various athletic teams while at UConn. he worked will all of CU’s intercollegiate Currently residing in Denver, Chu is a member of the American sport programs. After he left Colorado in College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and the American Medical Society Colorado 2011, Sprouse joined the sales and reconditioning team at Denver for Sports Medicine (AMSSM). She spends her free time traveling and Athletic Supply before moving back into the equipment field as an volunteering with the nonprofit organization Hope Shines, traveling assistant at Colorado State. He originally came to Colorado in 2005 to Kigali, Rwanda with the organization every summer. from the University of Arizona where he was an equipment intern for three years. Sprouse graduated from Philip Barbour High School (West Virginia) in 1997 and earned his bachelor’s in recreation administration in 2002 at Ashland University where he served as a student equipment manager. He is married to the former Linda Poncin and the couple has a daughter, Lily.

Student Managers Trinity Buckley Ashlee Burdette Jeremy Cannon Jett Glasser Aryana Goodarzi Marisa Kaylor Kathryn Makowski Cameron Gralka Zoe Smith Student Athletic Trainer Student Athletic Trainer Student Athletic Trainer

1316 NCAA Tournaments, 6 Sweet Sixteens, 3 Elite Eights 2018-19 Colorado Women’s Basketball16 administration

Ceal Barry Ben Broussard Jason DePaepe Cory Hillard Kris Livingston Miguel Rueda Laura Anderson Deputy SD/SWA Senior Associate AD/ Senior Associate AD/ Senior Associate AD/ Senior Associate AD/ Associate AD/ Associate AD/

Advancement Internal Operations Business Operations/CAFO Student Success Health & Performance Performance Nutrition Colorado

Matt Biggers Lance Carl J.T. Galloway Jill Keegan David Plati Tracy Tripp Alexis Williams Associate AD/Chief Associate AD/ Associate AD/ Associate AD/ Associate AD/Sports Associate AD/ Associate AD/ Marketing Officer Business/Student- Equipment and Compliance Information Director Human Resources Ticket Operations & Sales athlete Development licensing

Emily Canova Josi Carlson Orville Jennings Prema Khanna Ted Ledbetter Lindsey Lew Scott McMichael Basketball Associate AD/ Assistant AD/ Assistant AD/ Assistant AD/ Assistant AD/ Assistant AD/ Assistant AD/ Special Projects Special Events CU Events Center Director of Markting Development Digital & Database Development Marketing

Alicia Cash Palas Marcus Palas Dr. Eric McCarty Chris Bader Lindsey Edwards Bart Emery Kasey Gengler Assistant AD/ Assistant AD/Senior Director of Sports Counseling and Sport Spirit Squad CU Events Center Coordinator of Business Operations Director of Development Medicine Psychologist Coordinator Athletic Events & Facilities

Lance Gerlach Jennifer Green Carly Herm Rachel Ripken Erin Kreymborg Stephanie Van De Buffalo Sports Game Operations Coordinator of Community Outreach Alumni C Club Director Creek Properties/General Facilities Athletic Events & Manager Assistant Ticket Manager Administration Facilities Manager

13 NCAA Tournaments, 6 Sweet Sixteens, 3 Elite Eights 17 President bruce Benson Bruce D. Benson is in his 11th efficiencies, cut bureaucracy and improve business practices year as president of the University at the university. CU has secured legislation over the past nine of Colorado, as he was named to sessions of the Colorado General Assembly that has allowed it to the position in March 2008. Since save millions annually in areas such as procurement, insurance taking the helm of his alma mater, and construction. He has also established a number of public- he has enhanced CU’s standing as private partnerships to make the university more entrepreneurial one of the nation’s leading teaching and meet the needs of businesses in Colorado and across the and research universities, advancing country. the economy, health and culture of He oversees a system with four campuses (Boulder, Colorado Colorado and beyond. Springs, Denver, and the Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora) The 21st president in the history with a total enrollment of 63,202. During his tenure, CU’s four of the university, he has now served campuses have seen record enrollment. The university’s annual the fifth-longest of the group, and budget is $4.1 billion. The CU system is the third-largest employer is the longest-serving CU president in the state, with some 35,000 employees. since Robert L. Stearns held the post Before becoming CU’s president, Benson had already made for the better part of 15 years (1939- his mark in business, politics, philanthropy, education and civic 53) well over 60 years ago. endeavors. He founded Bruce Mineral Group in 1965, a year after During Benson’s tenure, CU’s research funding has reached earning his bachelor’s degree in Geology from CU. record levels, including its best showing of $994 million in 2016-17, He has consistently been active in a variety of educational, supporting the university’s research strengths in biotechnology, civic and political endeavors, and was the Republican nominee for health care, energy and aerospace engineering. He has led efforts Colorado governor in 1994. Benson has received many honors to promote cross-campus collaboration that have resulted in recognizing his leadership, but two are particularly notable: CU in cooperative academic programs and research initiatives, most 2004 granted him an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters, and notably CU’s Biofrontiers Institute, led by Nobel laureate Tom in February 2009 he was inducted into the Colorado Business Hall Cech. of Fame. In August 2016, he was the recipient of the inaugural CU has broken records for fundraising in eight consecutive Courage in Education Award from the Steamboat Institute, as the years (including a record $386.3 million in 2016-17) under his honor is for encouraging intellectual diversity and the free and leadership. Benson and his wife, Marcy, chaired CU’s $1.5 billion robust exchange of ideas. Creating Futures fundraising campaign, which surpassed its goal He was born July 4, 1938 in Chicago, and has three children in November 2013. The campaign, the largest in university history, and 10 grandchildren. supported scholarships, academic enhancements (endowed faculty positions, programs), research projects and capital improvements across CU’s campuses. Benson, 79, has guided efforts to institute operational Basketball Chancellor Phil DiStefano Dr. Philip P. DiStefano is in his that role he was a member of the NCAA’s revenue distribution 10th year as the Chancellor at the working group. He also served five years as the University of University of Colorado Boulder. Prior Colorado’s faculty representative to the Big 12 Conference, as he to his appointment on May 5, 2009, assumed the role on June 1, 2000, and held it until appointing Dr. Dr. DiStefano was the top academic David Clough to the position in the spring of 2005. He has been officer at CU-Boulder for eight years closely involved with the athletic program for most of his time as the Provost and Executive Vice at CU, and in June 2016, was recently accompanied by athletic Chancellor for Academic Affairs. He director Rick George to Italy to promote the university and the had also served as interim chancellor success of its international students. twice during pivotal times in the As Chancellor he works closely with students, faculty, staff, Colorado university’s history. alumni, donors, governing officials, and business and community Dr. DiStefano, 70, co-chaired the leaders in extending CU’s legacy as a preeminent national steering committee for CU-Boulder’s comprehensive research university. visionary strategic plan, Flagship A first-generation college graduate, Dr. DiStefano earned a 2030, conceived with campus, Bachelor of Science degree from Ohio State University in 1968 and community and statewide input, to a Master of Arts degree in English Education from West Virginia guide the university for decades to University in 1971. He holds a Doctorate in Humanities Education come. Today, Dr. DiStefano is shepherding its implementation as from Ohio State University, where he served as a teaching and Flagship 2030 has moved from vision to reality. research associate. Dr. DiStefano has served CU-Boulder for 43 years, first coming Dr. DiStefano began his educational career as a high school to the University of Colorado in 1974 as an Assistant Professor English teacher in Ohio. He has authored and co-authored of Curriculum and Instruction at the School of Education. His numerous books and articles on literacy education. academic career flourished as he assumed a series of academic He was born September 21, 1946 in Steubenville, Ohio, and and administrative positions, including Professor, Associate graduated from Steubenville Catholic Central High School. He has Dean, Dean and Vice Chancellor. He was appointed Provost and been married to the former Yvonne Pasquarella for 48 years, and Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs in 2001. the couple has three grown daughters, Gia, Nicole and Jennifer, He has established new initiatives to support students in and two granddaughters. their success, including an increased graduation rate. He also In 2015, he served as the official starter for the 37th annual has set forth plans to create alternative sources of revenue and Bolder Boulder, the city’s 10-kilometer race that is the fourth further advance CU’s reputation as a top comprehensive national largest in the nation. He has been very active throughout his career research university. in the Boulder Community, having previously served on numerous Dr. DiStefano is considered a national authority on integrating boards, including the Chamber of Commerce and the Rotary Club. intercollegiate athletics into the university academic mission. For the sixth consecutive year under Chancellor DiStefano, CU’s NCAA Academic Progress Rate, which tracks student-athlete progress toward graduation, is the best in school history. Dr. DiStefano began a three-year term in August 2016 on the Board of Governors of the NCAA representing the Pac 12, within

18 2018-19 Colorado Women’s Basketball Provost Russell Moore

Dr. Russell L. Moore is entering 96) and full professor (1996-present) in that department. his 10th year as the Provost and He co-chaired the Flagship 2030 Task Force on Research, Executive Vice Chancellor for Scholarship, and Creative Works. Academic Affairs for the University He holds an adjunct professorship in medicine (cardiology) of Colorado, having assumed the at the University of Colorado’s Anschutz Medical Campus at the position July 1, 2010. University of Colorado Denver. Dr. Moore had enjoyed a long and He was an assistant and associate professor (1986-91) in distinguished career at CU, having the departments of medicine, cellular and molecular physiology previously served as interim vice at the Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine in chancellor for research from May Hershey, Pa. His research focused on adaptations of the heart to 2009 to July 2010, and prior to that physiological and pathological stress, particularly as they relate to appointment, he was the associate the development of heart failure. vice chancellor for research since Dr. Moore earned a Bachelor of Science degree in biochemistry 2006. from the University of California at Davis in 1976, and a doctorate Dr. Moore served as chair of kinesiology and applied from Washington State University in 1982. He did postdoctoral physiology (now integrative physiology) from 1994 to 2001, and work at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Dallas was an assistant professor (1984-86), associate professor (1993- (1981-84). FACULTY REP Joe Jupille Colorado

Dr. Joseph (Joe) Jupille, an addition to many others. associate professor of political Jupille wants it all for CU student-athletes: a gold standard science, is in his second year as education, unparalleled opportunity for personal growth and the University of Colorado’s Faculty professional preparation, a chance to enjoy year-round fresh air Athletics Representative (FAR) to the and sunshine and develop ways of being well, and of course, Pac-12 Conference, as he assumed a world class athletic experience. It is the FAR’s job to bring a the position on July 1, 2017. faculty sensibility to the pursuit of these goals.

Dr. Jupille, 46, replaced Dr. David He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Clough, who had served as FAR for UC Santa Barbara in 1992, a Master of Arts in International Public Basketball 12 years starting in March 2005 until Policy from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at his retirement. Jupille is only the Monterey in 1995, and his Ph.D. in Political Science from the seventh FAR in CU history, joining a University of Washington in 2000. very prestigious list: Walter Franklin Prior to joining the CU faculty in 2005, he was an Assistant (1947-1948), Warren Thompson (1949- Professor of Political Science at Florida International University for 1966), William Baughn (1967-1989), James Corbridge (1989-2000), almost six years (2000-05). current CU chancellor Phil DiStefano (2000-2005) and Clough He was born in Chicago and 1970. He is married to the former (2005-2017). Lisa Avanzino and the couple have four children (Michael, Alex, Now in his 13th year at CU, he joined the faculty in 2005 and Jackson and Julia). An avid cyclist, he commutes daily to CU by became an Associate Professor in 2007. He founded and served bike from the town of Superior (several miles to the southeast of as Director of the Colorado European Union Center of Excellence Boulder). He grew up as a fan of the Pacific 10 Conference and in (CEUCE) from 2008-15. particular the California Bears but his allegiance is now sworn to Professor Jupille’s research specializes in rules and institutions, the Buffaloes. which comes in handy in the world of intercollegiate athletics. With James Caporaso (University of Washington) he is completing 2018 University of Colorado Board of Regents Theories of Institutions, which distills understandings of rules Back row: Jack Kroll, John Carson, Stephen Ludwig, Heidi Ganahl, Kyle across a range of disciplinary orientations. He has previously Hybl. Front Row: Sue Sharkey, Irene Griego (chair), Glen Gallegos (vice published Institutional Choice and Global Commerce (2013, with chair), Linda Shoemaker. Walter Mattli and Duncan Snidal) and Procedural Politics (2004), the latter of which centers on his core substantive and teaching expertise in the European Union (EU). He has been published widely in peer reviewed journals and edited volumes, including in the Annual Review of Political Science, Comparative Political Studies, European Political Science Review, International Organization and West European Politics. Jupille has been involved with student-athletes almost since arriving at CU over a decade ago, serving on and then chairing the Boulder Faculty Assembly’s Intercollegiate Athletics Committee (IAC), which works with the Department of Athletics in managing and thriving at the nexus of athletics and academics. He has served or continues to serve on a number of student-athlete-centered bodies such as the AD’s Academic Risk Assessment (ARA) committee, the Title IX Task Force chaired by Senior Woman Administrator (SWA) Ceal Barry in

13 NCAA Tournaments, 6 Sweet Sixteens, 3 Elite Eights 19 Athletic Director Rick George

Rick George was introduced pile a 243-176 record (.580 as just the sixth full-time athletic winning percentage) during director in University of Colorado his time there, second-best history on July 17, 2013, returning to in the major leagues during Boulder where he helped play a role that time frame. As the COO, in the school’s first and only national he worked closely with team championship in football some 23 president and CEO, base- years earlier. ball Hall-of-Famer Nolan George, 57, came to Colorado Ryan, and was responsible from the Texas Rangers baseball for all facets of the Rangers’ club of the American League, where business operations, includ- he was named chief operating officer ing oversight of all sales and on October 5, 2010 with a promotion marketing efforts, broadcast to president of business operations and communications, ticket in February 2013. He agreed to and suite sales, naming rights, a 5-year contract at CU, and he etc., in addition to overseeing officially started on the job on August 12, 2013. In June 2016, the the finance, human resource Board of Regents approved a contract extension that carries him and operations departments. through 2020-21 academic and athletic year. Among his many accom- His list of achievements in his first 1,000 days in the position plishments with the Rangers were many, but none more significant than shepherding through was a comprehensive brand- a $156 million Athletic Complex Expansion from creation ing study that successfully through fruition, gaining approval from the Board of Regents rebranded the ball club, and and then raising nearly one-half of the estimated cost to initiate an implementation of a new construction, which began May 12, 2014. The project is the core ticketing strategy that over the of the Sustainable Excellence Initiative (SEI), the jewel of which course of three seasons in- was a long-awaited indoor practice facility. Once green-lighted, he creased ticket revenues by over $30 million. The club’s attendance spearheaded the most successful fundraising campaign in athletic saw an increase of 40 percent from the 2010 season to nearly 3.5 department history, raising to date $95 million for the project. million in 2012, second in the American League (behind the New George implemented the department’s first-ever York Yankees) and third in the majors. The 2013 numbers were on comprehensive strategic plan, which has mapped CU’s immediate pace to exceed the 3 million mark again when he left the franchise and long range purpose and goals. He also redesigned the for CU. management teams, made tough budget decisions that reduced Prior to joining the Rangers, George served as executive Basketball deficits he inherited (and has since produced two budget vice president and chief of operations for the PGA TOUR for surpluses), and canvassed the state, region and nation in both two-and-a-half years (beginning in June 2008). While with the friend- and fundraising. TOUR, he worked with the corporate marketing department in In his fourth year in the position (2016-17), 13 of CU’s 16 renewing sponsorships and creating new events. He also oversaw athletic teams were at one time or another ranked among the the Tournament Business Affairs division that worked with nation’s Top 25 (including all five in the fall; skiing is a coed Tournaments to increase tournament revenue. program with combined rankings). Included in that group was the He also worked for the PGA TOUR as president of the football team, as the Buffaloes returned to the national rankings Champions Tour from 2003-08, and as the executive vice for the first time in 11 seasons, in part due to George’s support of president for championship management his last three years there. Mike MacIntyre as the program’s head coach and allowing him to His major accomplishments included increasing revenues and follow through with his plan to bring the Buffaloes back to national sponsorships and the development of strategic plans, the latter prominence. All but one team competed in the postseason, most including a vision and mission statement as well as core values. in NCAA Championships, with football making it to a bowl game The Champions Tour had grown to a minimum 29 events with over

Colorado for the first time in nine years and both basketball teams going to $55 million in prize money when he left for the PGA TOUR. their respective NIT events. From 1998-2003, George served as President and CEO of the Near the end of his first year, he was recognized by CU’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee as its choice for Staff Member of the Year; no token award, the group acknowledged his attendance at most home athletic events, regular meetings with team captains of all programs to interact with them and receive their feedback, and willingness to meet with any student-athlete and that his door is always open to them. George brought the most diverse background to the position than any before him at Colorado: all five others had extensive and primarily exclusive college athletic histories, the only exceptions being when Marolt left CU after 10 years as ski coach to lead the U.S. Olympic ski team before returning, and Tharp, who was a university attorney with strong CU-Boulder campus ties. While George began and worked in the college athletic world for the first half of his professional career, he stepped outside that box for the second half. George is just the sixth full-time athletic director in Colorado history, following in the footsteps of Harry Carlson (1927-65), Eddie Crowder (1965-84), Bill Marolt (1984-96), Dick Tharp (1996-2004) and Mike Bohn (2005-13). Two others have bridged directors in interim capacities, Jack Lengyel (six months between Tharp and Bohn) and Ceal Barry (two months between Bohn and George). George was with the Rangers for less than three years, but saw the team win two American League championships and com- George’s first week on the job ... in 1987.

20 2018-19 Colorado Women’s Basketball Colorado

Rick and granddaughter Harper at ESPN’s Basketball Game Day (February 2014).

Fore!Kids Foundation, a 501c3 organization that raised money for children’s charities via golf-related events, where he led rebranding and organizational efforts that resulted in increases in charitable giving to the Foundation. At the collegiate level, George worked in three major Basketball conferences (Big Ten, Big 8, Southeastern) in football operations, beginning with his alma mater, the University of Illinois, as football recruiting coordinator (1983-87). He graduated from Illinois in 1982 with a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts & Sciences Individual Study that had an emphasis on Sports Communication and Journalism. He was a four-year letterman at cornerback for the Illini, playing in 44 straight games and starting in 27 games in all, as he played two years each under coaches Gary Moeller and Mike White. He was a two-time recipient of the school’s Bruce Capel Award, given for dedication Rick George oversaw the $153 million facility upgrade and courage to honor Capel who lost his life serving his country to Folsom Field that opened in the fall of 2015 and in Vietnam; George received the honor for his junior and senior benefits all CU Student Athletes. seasons. Upon his graduation, White named him the assistant director of managing budgets and developing marketing and promotional for player personnel for the Illini, and a year later (1983), he strategies for all sports. assumed the all sports recruiting coordinator. In March 1984, George was born April 3, 1960 in Woodstock, Ill., and George took over the recruiting chores solely for football, with his graduated from Collinsville (Ill.) High School, where he lettered first class ranked No. 1 in the nation by the recruiting services with in football, basketball and baseball. He is married to the former all in the top 20; he coordinated five classes in all at Illinois when Nancy Green, and the couple has two grown daughters, Jenni the call came to take him out west to Colorado. Reed (husband Tom) and Christi, and two granddaughters (Harper On March 2, 1987, Bill McCartney hired him as Colorado’s and Maddie). football recruiting coordinator. Two-and-a-half years later (Dec. On July 19, 2017, George was named chair of the LEAD1 21, 1989), George was promoted to assistant athletic director for Association, which represents the athletic directors, programs and football operations, not coincidentally after the Buffaloes finished student-athletes of the 129 member schools of the Football Bowl the regular season with an 11-0 record and the school’s first-ever Subdivision (FBS). He immediately began serving a two-year term No. 1 national ranking in the polls. CU lost to Notre Dame in the for the organization, as its mission includes influencing how the Orange Bowl and would finish No. 4, but came back to go 11-1-1 rules of college sports are enacted and implemented, advocating in 1990, this time defeating the Irish in the Orange Bowl to earn for the future of college athletics and providing various services consensus national champion honors. to the members. He also serves on the Division I Council of the Shortly thereafter, he left the Buffaloes for Vanderbilt University, NCAA, and is part of the NCAA’s D1 Council Transfer Working where he was reunited with former CU offensive coordinator Gerry Group. DiNardo, who was named the Commodores’ head coach a year earlier. In eight years at Vanderbilt (1991-98), he also served as associate athletic director for external operations in conjunction with overseeing the football program. This was where George first expanded his professional role outside of solely football, as he had oversight over all external departments, particularly in the area

1321 NCAA Tournaments, 6 Sweet Sixteens, 3 Elite Eights 2017-18 Colorado Women’s Basketball21 university of colorado

Founded in 1876 at the foot of the Flatirons, over 140 years has transformed the University of Colorado from a lone building on a bleak, windswept hill to one of the nation’s leading public research institutions. Established in 1861, the University was formally founded in 1876, the year Colorado became a state. The Boulder campus encom- passes over 1,100 acres on the main campus in the heart of town, east campus (which includes a research park), south campus, Williams Village and the Mountain Research Station north of nearby Nederland (which supports ecology, chemistry and geology). While over 32,000 students are educated on the Boulder campus, another 30,000-plus study at the University of Colorado at Denver, the University of Colorado Anschutz Campus (Aurora) and the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. Nine elected Regents and President Bruce Benson lead the four-campus system, while each band leader Glenn Miller and actors Robert Redford and Chris Basketball campus has a Chancellor who serves as the chief academic Meloni, the latter starring for years on Law & Order: Special and administrative officer. Dr. Phil DiStefano is in his ninth year Victims Unit, the creators of South Park, Trey Parker and Matt as the chancellor of the Boulder campus. Stone, and Philip Bailey, co-founder of the popular music Students can enter any of 10 schools and colleges offering group Earth, Wind & Fire. more than 2,500 courses in 150 fields, representing a full range If the aphorism, “Somewhere between the Rockies and of disciplines in the humanities, social sciences, physical and reality,” seems too good to believe, then come for a visit. biological sciences, the fine and performing arts, and the Start with a walk on the historic Pearl Street Mall, a downtown professions. CU-Boulder is regularly ranked among the best pedestrian mall that is the ceremonial heart of the city. Visitors of the United States’ public universities by the Fiske Guide to may be so taken in by the scenery they may not realize the Colleges, and a 2010 USA Today/Princeton Review survey University that put it all together. From Pearl, Broadway rated the University of Colorado as the fifth-best value among leads directly onto campus where the University of Colorado American public colleges. CU was recently ranked as the No. Colorado Museum and the CU Heritage Center, in the original Old Main 33 university in the world by the Times Higher Education. building, both introduce the University’s past and present. The CU-Boulder has played a major role in NASA space hub of campus activity can be found at both the University programs, designing and building many scientific instruments Memorial Center (UMC) and the Center for Community flown in outer space, and graduated 17 men and women who (C4C). The ATLAS building is one of the most state-of-the-art became astronauts, including the late Jack Swigert, one of the structures on any college campus. three astronauts in the crippled Apollo 13 mission who made it Take in the fresh mountain air on any part of 100 miles of back to Earth safely from the moon. When the Hubble Space trails and 30,000 acres of open space. Climb the Flatirons or in Telescope was launched in 1990, it was carrying seven major Eldorado Canyon State Park. Swim or board sail at the Boulder instruments, including a high-resolution spectrograph to study Reservoir while elite runners sprint around it. Take in a pro the evolution of stars and designed and built by an international sporting event down the road in Denver, just one of 13 cities science team led by astronomer Jack Brandt of CU-Boulder. with teams in all four pro leagues. Since Hubble has been deployed, CU-Boulder faculty and “The University of Colorado, and Boulder, is a town which students have been among the top users of Hubble of any stops where the Rocky Mountains begin. Normally in America institution in the world. CU- Boulder is the only university in the such a superb site would be occupied by a golf course, but country where undergraduate students have operated a NASA somebody goofed and instead they built what may be the most satellite. beautifully situated campus in the world… if anyone asks you The University has produced 19 Rhodes Scholars, five of to Boulder, I have one word of advice: ‘Go.’” — From London’s which were former football student-athletes at CU, with Jim Observer Magazine article, “Us and Them,” by Simon Hoggart Hansen the most recent recipient in 1992. Faculty member (April 23, 1989) Thomas Cech, a distinguished professor of chemistry and biochemistry, won the 1989 Nobel Prize in chemistry. Other notable alumni other than athletes include former United States Supreme Court Justice Byron “Whizzer” White, former big

1322 NCAA Tournaments, 6 Sweet Sixteens, 3 Elite Eights 2018-19 Colorado Women’s Basketball22 pac-12 Conference

Conference History The roots of the Pac-12 Conference date back 103 years to December 2, 1915, when the Pacific Coast Conference (PCC) was founded at a meeting at the Oregon Hotel in Portland. The original membership consisted of four schools — the University of California at Berkeley, the University of Washington, the University of Oregon, and Oregon State College (now Oregon State University). All still are charter members of the Conference. Pacific Coast Conference play began in 1916 and, one year later, Washington State College (now Washington State University) was accepted into the league, with Stanford University following in 1918. In 1922, the PCC expanded to eight teams with the admission of the University of Southern California (USC) and the University of Idaho. In 1924, the University of Montana joined the league roster, and in 1928, the PCC grew to 10 members with the addition of UCLA.

Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott The Pacific Coast Conference competed as a 10-member Colorado league until 1950, with the exception of 1943-45 when World became the 11th and 12th members of the Conference on July War II curtailed intercollegiate athletic competition to a minimum. 1, 2011, the first additions to the league since 1978. During During that time, the league’s first commissioner was named. the 33 years between expansions, Pac-10 teams claimed 258 Edwin Atherton was commissioner in 1940 and was succeeded NCAA titles (130 women’s, 128 men’s). by Victor Schmidt in 1944. In 1950, Montana resigned from At present, the Pac-12 sponsors 11 men’s sports and 13 the Conference and joined the Mountain States Conference, women’s sports, having added women’s lacrosse for the essentially replacing Colorado, which left for the Big 7 two years first time for the spring of 2018. Additionally, the conference earlier. The PCC continued as a nine-team conference through schools are members of the Mountain Pacific Sports 1958. Federation (MPSF) in four other men’s sports and two women’s In 1959, the PCC was dissolved and the Athletic Association sports. CU participates in the MPSF in indoor track and has of Western Universities was formed and Thomas J. Hamilton competed since 1950 in the Rocky Mountain Intercollegiate Ski

Association (RMISA) in skiing, which is a coed sport. was appointed commissioner of the new league. The original Basketball AAWU membership included California, Stanford, Southern The Pac-12 Conference offices are located in the heart of California, UCLA and Washington. Washington State joined the San Francisco’s downtown district and are headquartered in membership in 1962, while Oregon and Oregon State joined in the same building as the Pac-12 Network. 1964. Under Hamilton’s watch, the name Pacific-8 Conference was adopted in 1968. In 1971, Wiles Hallock took over as Conference of Champions commissioner of the Pac-8. Built on a firm foundation of academic excellence and On July 1, 1978, the University of Arizona and Arizona State superior athletic performance, the Conference ushered in University were admitted to the league and the Pacific-10 a new era on July 1, 2011, officially becoming the Pac-12 Conference became a reality. In 1986-87, the league took on Conference with the additions of the University of Colorado a new look, expanding to include 10 women’s sports. Tom and University of Utah. Hansen was named the commissioner of the Pac-10 in 1983, Just 27 days after the Conference officially changed its a role he would hold for 26 years until 2009. Hansen was name, Commissioner Larry Scott announced the creation of succeeded by current commissioner Larry Scott, who took on the Pac-12 Networks, solidifying a landmark television deal and the new role in July 2009. putting the Conference on the forefront of collegiate athletics. During the 2010-11 academic year, Scott helped deliver The Networks, including one national network, six regional monumental changes that transformed the conference into a networks, and a robust digital network marked the first-ever modern 12-team league by adding the University of Colorado integrated media company owned by a college conference. In and the University of Utah. The addition of CU and Utah led addition, the “TV Everywhere” rights allow fans to access Pac- to an agreement to equal revenue sharing for the first time in 12 Networks outside the home on any digital device, including conference history, created two divisions (North and South) smartphones and tablet computers. for football only, established a football championship game for That same year, the Pac-12 also launched its Globalization the first time ever, secured a landmark media rights deal that Initiative to proactively promote the Conference and member dramatically increased national exposure and revenue for each institutions through student-athlete exchanges and sport, school and established the Pac-12 Network and Pac-12 Digital as in the first five years, Pac-12 student-athletes have Network that guaranteed enhanced exposure across all sports. enjoyed unique cultural and athletic experiences in several Colorado accepted its invitation to join the Pac-12 on June foreign nations. In the past year, the Pac-12 became the first 11, 2010, as the Buffaloes were the first domino to fall in a conference to have all of its schools become members of the change of the national landscape which, in just one week, saw Green Sports Alliance. Nebraska also leave the Big 12 and join the Big 10, Boise State On the field, courts and in the pools of play, the Pac-12 depart the WAC for the Mountain West, TCU jump from the rises above the rest, upholding its tradition as the “Conference MWC for the Big East (before eventually landing in the Big 12). of Champions®,” claiming an incredible 163 NCAA team titles Less than a week later on June 17, Utah agreed to join CU to since 1999-2000. For the 12th consecutive year, the Pac-12 make it an even dozen in the Pac-12. Big-time rivals for the had the most NCAA titles of any conference in the country, first half of the last century, the Buffaloes and Utes officially having won at least six every year since 2000-01, including

13 NCAA Tournaments, 6 Sweet Sixteens, 3 Elite Eights 23 pac-12 Conference

23 over the last two years. No other conference has ever won 10 or more in a single athletic year, looking up at the record 14 the Pac-12 won in 1996-97 and 2017-18 QUICK REVIEW now 13 in 2016-17. Even more impressive has been the breadth of the Pac- 12’s success, with championships coming in 28 different men’s and women’s In the 2017-18 academic year, the Pac-12’s 12 NCAA titles came in the form of a nine sports. The Pac-12 has led or tied the nation in NCAA Championships in 51 of women’s crowns and three men’s titles. the last 57 years (and was second four times and third twice). Spanning over a century of outstanding athletics achievements, the Pac-12 Living up to its well-deserved billing of was the first conference to reach 200, 300, 400 and now 500 championships; “Conference of Champions®,” six different despite having two fewer members than three of the other four so-called league schools claimed NCAA titles including “Power 5” conferences, the Pac-12 outdistances the next conference by three winning multiple crowns (Stanford four, UCLA three and USC two). nearly 200 crowns. In all, Pac-12 conference teams have won 501 NCAA Championships (297 men’s, 174 women’s, 30 coed). Of the 24 sports sponsored by the Individually, the Conference has produced an impressive number of NCAA Conference, 17 witnessed at least half individual champions, as through the 2016-17 school year, 2,292 individual its teams participating in NCAA or other crowns have been won by Pac-12 student-athletes over the years (1,358 in postseason action. The men sent 63 of a men’s championships, 749 in women’s and 185 in coed, e.g. skiing). possible 101 teams into the postseason, the women 82 of a possible 130. Stanford’s four On the women’s side, the story is much the same. Since the NCAA began titles came in men’s and women’s soccer, conducting women’s championships 36 years ago, Pac-12 members have women’s swimming and women’s tennis. claimed at least four national titles in a single season on 27 occasions, including UCLA claimed titles in men’s water polo, 17 consecutive years from 2001-2017. women’s gymnastics and beach volleyball, while USC’s pair came in women’s water polo and outdoor trach. Arizona (women’s golf), California (women’s rowing) and Oregon State (baseball) rounded out the league’s victories.

While Colorado did not win an NCAA title in 2017-18 and the school’s count remains at 27, the Buffaloes finished second in skiing, third in women’s cross country (eighth in men’s) and 19th in women’s golf. CU has won 20 skiing titles (11 men’s, one AIAW women’s Basketball and eight coed) and seven cross country (five men’s, two women’s); the Buffs also were the consensus national champions in football in 1990, but since it is not an NCAA-sanctioned championship, it doesn’t count toward the Pac-12’s total of 513.

CU won back-to-back men’s NCAA cross country titles in 2013 and 2014.

Colorado

Petra Hyncicova won both the David Ketterer swept the giant slalom and slalom Dani Jones was the 2017 national champion in the classic and freestyle races races at the 2017 NCAA indoor 3,000-meter run. at the 2017 NCAA’s. Ski Championships.

24 2018-19 Colorado Women’s Basketball