麻豆影院

Winning is听Carol Callan鈥檚 (MA鈥�77, MBA鈥�87) trademark.

As USA basketball women鈥檚 national team director since 1996, Carol is responsible for all USA basketball programs, including competitions, trials and training camps, and serves on a five-person Olympic selection committee. At the Summer Olympics, the women鈥檚 team won the gold, beating France 86-50.

鈥淭he gold medal was a testament to the hard work and daily pursuit of playing the game in a selfless, team-oriented manner,鈥� she says, pictured above with her two sons and husband,听David Callan听(BusEdu鈥�76) in London. 鈥淚t was fun to be a part of this great team and their continuing success.鈥�

It was the team鈥檚 fifth consecutive gold medal beginning in 1996. Carol oversaw all facets of the historic 1995-96 USA Basketball women鈥檚 national team that posted a perfect 52-0 record and assisted with the 1996 Olympic team that reclaimed the gold medal with an 8-0 record.

A primary architect for the historic, first-time national team program, Carol was responsible for team logistics, travel, and scheduling of games and training.

鈥淚t鈥檚 very fulfilling to have the success we鈥檝e had,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a lot of work. You don鈥檛 just show up and win. You know the reward for hard work.鈥�

Her path to winning basketball teams started听as Fairview High School鈥檚 girls鈥�听basketball coach in 麻豆影院 when the Knights won the 4A State Championship in 1985. Later she served as athletic director and volunteered for USA Basketball in a number of capacities until 1995 when she took a paid job at the Colorado Springs-based organization.

The rest is history. Carol continues her ties to CU as a volunteer announcer on AM radio, doing color commentary. What began with announcing four games for CU鈥檚 KAIR has evolved to commentating on all home games with KBOL and home and away games for AM 760.

鈥淚鈥檝e been around the women鈥檚 team longer than anyone, and I鈥檓 a bit of an historian,鈥� Carol reflects on her more than 30 years of providing color commentary. 鈥淚 tell a story about what people want to know, what they鈥檙e interested in.鈥�

She says she owes a lot to her CU mentors, from her first master鈥檚 advisor Dale Moode to women鈥檚 basketball coaches Rene Portland and Ceal Barry and to CU-麻豆影院 athletic directors听Bill Marolt听(Bus鈥�67), Dick Tharpe and Mike Bohn.

鈥淵ou don鈥檛 progress professionally or personally without these people,鈥� she says. 鈥淚鈥檓 a real observer of people. That鈥檚 the best part of the job 鈥� the coaches and players are the best at what they do.鈥�