Groundbreaking basketball star Becky Hammon receives Founders Day Medal

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Colorado State University basketball legend Becky Hammon was awarded the 2025 Founders Day Medal during the Rams’ home football game Saturday night.

The Founders Day Medal was launched in 2010 to commemorate CSU’s birthday, which is celebrated each year on Feb. 11. The medal is typically awarded at that time, but Hammon was not available for a campus visit until this weekend.

The Founders Day medal recognizes an individual, family or group whose service and contributions have created a significant, lasting impact on the University’s history and progress toward future goals.

During Saturday’s game against UNLV, CSU President Amy Parsons presented Hammon with the medal on the field after a video tribute played on the Canvas Stadium video board.

Hammon had a stellar four years playing basketball at CSU, and she went on to enjoy a long career playing in the WNBA before breaking gender barriers as an award-winning coach.

She is regarded as the greatest Ram ever in her sport, and her No. 25 jersey is one of only four to be retired at Colorado State.

‘An inspiration’

“Becky Hammon is an inspiration, and we are thrilled to celebrate her remarkable career and lasting legacy with this year’s Founders Day Award,” CSU President Amy Parsons said. “I have personally admired and followed Becky’s career from her time as a student and the most decorated women’s basketball player in CSU history, to her incredible achievements as a professional athlete in the WNBA, to becoming the first woman to coach in the NBA, to now winning championships coaching the Aces. Becky is a true trailblazer and role model who makes the entire CSU community proud. We are honored to present this top award to her.”

Hammon graduated from CSU as the leading scorer in Western Athletic Conference history, regardless of gender. Hammon was a consensus All-American in 1999 and an honorable mention All-American the two years prior. Three times she was named the WAC Player of the Year. The Rams finished in the top 25 twice in her career.

Hammon owned the CSU record book when she left, and still ranks first in career steals (315), 3-pointers made (365) and attempted (888), free throws made (539) and attempted (641), career field goals made (918) and attempted (1,894) and, of course, scoring, with 2,740 points. Her four seasons are in the top six highest-scoring seasons in CSU history.

She earned her bachelor’s degree in exercise and sport science from the College of Health and Human Sciences.

‘Very nostalgic’

During a podcast interview with Parsons on Saturday, Hammon said she loved her time at CSU.

“I’m super excited to be here,” she said. “Obviously whenever I get back to Fort Collins, it’s always fun and very nostalgic for me to just step foot on the campus.”

When asked about what she remembers about her time playing basketball at CSU, Hammon said she had a lot of fun. She said playing in the WNBA for 16 years and talking to players coming out of college made her appreciate her experience at CSU.

“So many of their experiences were not that great,” Hammon explained. “And I never realized how special it was, because it wasn’t the norm, where you just come in and you have four really great years of not just basketball but relationship building. My best friends I had in college are still my best friends, and some are here today. We just had a really special group of people that happened to be really good basketball players too.”

WNBA career

Hammon went on to play in the WNBA, going from an undrafted hopeful to a six-time All-Star who was named to the league’s 15th, 20th and 25th Anniversary teams. She enjoyed a 16-year WNBA career, and then amazed the basketball world by stepping into a male-dominated coaching field and more than held her own.

Hammon was the NBA’s first female assistant coach, and in late 2020, she became the first woman ever to coach an NBA team when San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich was ejected from the game. As she moved to coaching in the WNBA, she was named the Coach of the Year after her first regular season, then led the Las Vegas Aces to two consecutive WNBA titles. In 2023 Hammon was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame for her contributions as a player and coach. She won a third WNBA title with the Aces this year.