NEWS

The premiere of Coach: The Leon Barmore Story, an 84-minute documentary featuring the man who helped guide Louisiana Tech’s Lady Techsters to 13 Final Fours, eight national title games, and three national championships, will be at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 21, in Howard Auditorium. Admission is free.

The film celebrates the legacy of a Ruston native who starred for Tech’s Bulldogs as a player, then coached himself into enshrinement in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (2003), the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame (2003), the Louisiana Tech Athletics Hall of Fame (2003) and the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame (2004).

The film was directed by University Videographer Carter Carroll and produced by University Communications.

Then at 2 p.m. Friday, Oct. 22, the Leon Barmore statue will be unveiled on the front steps of the Thomas Assembly Center, the building where Barmore’s teams dominated opponents – with a record of 300-17 – during his time as Tech’s coach. The public is invited to attend this event too, part of Tech’s 2021 Homecoming Weekend.

Tech Athletics partnered with world-renowned sculptor Brian Hanlon to create the tribute. Hanlon has created more than 550 public and private art pieces during the past 35 years and is the official sculptor of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Barmore joined the Lady Techster coaching staff in 1977. During the next glorious 25 years until his retirement in 2002, he built a record of 576-87, the highest winning percentage in the history of both men’s and women’s college basketball.