The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Hall of Honor
- Induction:
- 2023
- Class:
- 1993
An Olympic silver medalist, NCAA individual champion and four-time All-American, Beth Barr helped guide Texas to the national title in 1991. One of the premier backstrokers in the world, Barr competed as a member of the 1988 U.S. Olympic Team, winning silver in the 4x100-meter medley relay (4:07.90) at the Olympic Games in Seoul. The Pensacola, Fla. native also placed fourth in the 200-meter back (2:13.39) and fifth in the 100-meter back. Barr missed a year after suffering a compound fracture of her right arm from a horse-riding accident in May 1989. In 1990-91, Barr captured the national title in the 200-yard backstroke and swam the opening leg of the Longhorns’ title-winning effort in the 200-yard medley relay. She added a runner-up result in the 100-yard backstroke and kicked off Texas’ second-place finish in the 400-yard medley relay. The Longhorns set a NCAA Championship meet record for most points scored (746) that still stands today. Earlier that year, Barr captured the 200-yard backstroke title at the Southwest Conference Championships to help Texas win the team title. Internationally that year, she competed as a member of the U.S. 1991 Pan Pacific team, placing third in the 100 back and fourth in the 200 back. At the FINA World Championships in Perth, Australia, Barr placed sixth in the 200 back. In 1990, she won both the 100 back and 200 back at the Len Cup Meet in Rome and took first in the 200 back and third in the 100 back at Long Course Nationals. Barr won the national title in the 100 back at the 1986 Short Course Nationals, and at the 1986 Goodwill Games, she took fifth in the 100 back and seventh in the 200 back.
