Induction Video
(Written: July 2018)
Barbara Gibson served as UW-La Crosse’s women’s gymnastics coach from 1986-2016 and led the program to 17 National Collegiate Gymnastics Association championships and 20 conference titles. She was chosen the NCGA Coach of the Year six times and the WIAC Coach of the Year on six occasions.
Gibson coached 32 NCGA individual champions, 78 conference individual champions, 209 All-Americans and posted a career record of 806-205, including 774-201 at UW-La Crosse. Gibson coached eight of the 17 gymnasts on the WIAC All-Time Team. As a student-athlete with the Eagles, she won conference titles in the balance beam in 1975 and floor exercise in 1978.
Gibson was inducted into UW-La Crosse’s Wall of Fame in 2007 and La Crosse Area Sports Hall of Fame in 2010. She was recognized with the YMCA’s Outstanding Achievement Award in Sports in 1989. The Barbara Gibson Endowment Fund for UW-La Crosse Gymnastics was established in her honor during the 2009-10 season. In 2012, she was selected the WIAC Women’s Gymnastics All-Time Coach in conjunction with the conference’s Centennial Celebration.
Gibson earned a bachelor’s degree in physical and health education from UW-La Crosse and master’s degree in athletic administration from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale. She resides in La Crosse, Wis.