Barry Goldberg is the winningest coach in American University history, but that’s only one of many reasons why his name now graces the court inside the Alan and Amy Meltzer Center for Athletic Performance.

The late coaching legend, who died in March 2023 after a 13-month battle with cancer, transformed AU’s volleyball program into a national powerhouse. Over 34 seasons—beginning with a part-time appointment in 1989—Goldberg guided the Eagles to an impressive 812 victories, 16 Patriot League championships, and 18 NCAA Tournament appearances.

Despite his staggering record, Goldberg’s reputation off the court often preceded his accomplishments on it.

On February 13, Bonnie Goldberg was among a handful of speakers who honored the dedication of Barry Goldberg Court. She told the crowd of more than 100 invited guests that “Barry’s legacy is not only behind us. It’s sitting right here in front of us.”

That legacy is personified by his three children—Arielle, Jared, and Mitchell—and his five grandchildren. It was also evident in the many former players who attended the ceremony, each carrying their own stories of the imprint Goldberg left on their lives.

“Coach reached out to everyone,” said Christina Tamaroglio, Kogod/BSBA ’09. “He remembered names. He made people feel seen. . . . The respect he carried was unmistakable, and it reflected the kind of person he was everywhere he went. What truly defined Coach wasn’t a single moment or achievement; there were far too many to count. It was the impression he left on people.”

Goldberg Court was named through a $3 million gift from longtime trustee and board chairman emeritus Jack Cassell, SOC/BA ’77, and Denise Cassell as part of the Change Can’t Wait Campaign. The gift was the first toward the Meltzer Center and the Student Thriving Complex.

Goldberg was diagnosed with Stage IV cancer in February 2022. He continued coaching throughout his treatment. In October 2022, Jack Cassell and then-President Sylvia Burwell shared the news with him that AU’s new state-of-the-art facility would enshrine his name on the volleyball court.

“When Jack called and said he would like to dedicate this court to Barry Goldberg and his family, I could not think of a more perfect idea,” said Burwell.

The naming became public during the Stafford H. “Pop” Cassell Hall of Fame induction ceremony in February 2023.

“When I began this volleyball journey at American University in 1989, I never dreamed I would experience something like this,” Goldberg said at the time. “History will tell a wonderful story of the AU volleyball program, thanks to dedicated student-athletes and coaches that believed we could build something special here.”

Goldberg passed away a month later at age 61. Nearly three years later, all that Goldberg built lives on in the gym that bears his name, where future generations will put in the work required to become winners.