June 15, 2005
COLUMBIA, Mo. -
Former University of Missouri women's basketball standout Kerensa Barr has been promoted to assistant coach at MU, Head Coach Cindy Stein announced today. One of the best guards in Mizzou history, Barr will work with the Tiger guards during practice. Barr's promotion comes after serving as a graduate assistant with the team last year.
Barr finished a stellar four-year career in 2003 as the Tigers' all-time leader in assists (489) and free-throw percentage (.812). She also finished in Mizzou's career top 10 in steals (242, second) and 3-pointers (109, third - she is currently fourth), and is currently 17th all-time in scoring with 1,161 points. Barr is also listed in the season top-10 charts 11 times in five different categories, including posting the top two free-throw-shooting seasons in Mizzou history; she made 88.5 percent of her charity tosses in 2001-02. She was a two-time honorable mention All-Big 12 player.
A three-year team captain for the Tigers, Barr was a member of the Big 12's all-star team that traveled to Europe in 2002. She also made early acquaintances with departing coach Craig Wiginton, who is interviewing for several head coaching positions closer to his native Oklahoma, when she had a tryout with USA Basketball in 2001.
Also a success off the basketball court, Barr earned Academic All-America honors in 2002, making her the first Tiger to earn such an honor since 1985. Barr also was named as one of eight finalists - the only women's basketball player in the country and one of just two women overall - for the 2003 Socrates Award, given to the student-athlete who best exemplifies excellence in athletics and academics.
Following her graduation from MU in 2003 with dual degrees in finance/banking and real estate, Barr accepted a one-year internship at UMB Bank before moving across the sidelines last year. She also served alongside David Lile for two years as an analyst for the Tiger Radio Network's coverage of Mizzou women's basketball. She earned her MBA from Mizzou this past May.
A native of West Plains, Mo., Barr was the 1999 Miss Show-Me Basketball and a two-time all-state selection. She also earned all-state honors in track, and was all-district in volleyball at West Plains High School, where she was the Zizzers' valedictorian.
Stein also announced that former All-American Evan Unrau will fill Barr's graduate assistant position. Unrau, who returned from a successful professional stint in Europe this past winter, will assist the coaching staff with video editing, film exchange, as well as camps and clinics. She earned Honorable Mention All-America honors in 2004 after back-to-back First Team All-Big 12 nods - MU's first back-to-back all-conference performer since MU Hall of Famer Renee Kelly in 1985-86.
"I am extremely excited to have Kerensa and Evan join our staff," Stein said. "Both of these fine young ladies represented the University of Missouri on and off the court in exemplary fashion. They will be great additions and are committed to making our program one of the best."
