Leon Barmore

William Leon Barmore (born June 3, 1944) is a former college women's basketball head coach best known for his 35-year association with the Louisiana Tech University Lady Techsters. After five years as an assistant coach, he served as head coach from 1982 to 2002, serving the first three years as co-head coach with Sonja Hogg, who had begun the program in 1974. Upon his retirement, Barmore's .869 winning percentage was the best in major college basketball history, for both men and women's basketball. His nine appearances in the Final Four was second most in NCAA women's basketball history, and as of 2023 it is tied for fourth most all-time. He went on to play basketball at Louisiana Tech, serving as captain of the team and earned Gulf States All-Conference honors. where he was an assistant under former Louisiana Tech player Kim Mulkey, who played under Barmore from 1980 to 1984 and was his top assistant from 1985 to 2000. In the first round of the 2009 NCAA Tournament, Barmore served as Baylor's interim head coach and led the Bears to an overtime victory over UT-San Antonio (Mulkey missed the game with an illness). Both Mulkey and Barmore are members of the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame (Mulkey as a player and Barmore as a coach) and the Basketball Hall of Fame. He was also inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003.

Head coaching record

Coaching tree

Eight former assistant coaches under head coach Leon Barmore have become head women's basketball coaches. Gary Blair – Stephen F. Austin, Arkansas, Texas A&M Kurt Budke – Louisiana Tech, Oklahoma State Kristy Curry – Purdue, Texas Tech, Alabama Nell Fortner – Purdue, Team USA, Indiana Fever, Auburn Stacy Johnson-Klein – Fresno State Chris Long – Louisiana Tech Kim Mulkey – Baylor, LSU Jennifer White – St. Edward's