Hall of Fame
Millie Barnes
Jennies Basketball Coach, 1971-80
Barnes, who coached the Jennies for nine seasons (1971-80), is credited with laying the foundation that helped make the Jennies' basketball program one of the best in the nation. She never had a losing season in her nine-year career, compiling a 156-63 record and winning two AIAW state championships. The Jennies were 26-5 in her final season (1979-80) as coach and reached the AIAW national tournament. Highly respected in women's basketball circles nationwide, Barnes became the first woman to serve on the board of trustees of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame (1977-86). She wrote the first book on five-player women's basketball. She served on the U.S. Olympic Women's Basketball Committee and was instrumental in bringing the first U.S. Olympic Women's Basketball Team to Warrensburg to train prior to the 1976 Olympics in Montreal. The team earned a silver medal at the Olympics and featured such prominent women's basketball names as Pat Summit, Nancy Lieberman and Ann Meyers. Barnes retired from Central Missouri State in 1991 as professor emeritus of physical education, following 22 years of service to the university.
