Inductees
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C. Vivian Stringer
- The master builder of basketball programs
- Is the only collegiate coach (men’s or women’s) to have directed three different schools to berths in the NCAA Final Four
- Ranks as the third all-time winningest coach in collegiate women’s basketball history with an overall record of 644-199 compiled during a total of 29 seasons at Cheyney, Iowa, and Rutgers
- Became the third women’s collegiate coach to reach the 600-win plateau
- Collected 500 wins in the fewest games (613) of any women’s collegiate coach and was the second youngest coach to reach that mark
- Tabbed for National Coach of the Year accolades three different years, receiving the honor in 1982 (Wade Trophy), 1988 (Converse), and 1993 (Naismith, Converse, Sports Illustrated, USA TODAY, Black Coaches Association, and Los Angeles Times)
- Has led her teams to 15 appearances in the NCAA Tournament and has posted 20+ wins in a season 22 times
- Has also garnered conference coach of the year recognition twice (1991 and 1993) from the Big Ten during her tenure at Iowa and once (1998) from the Big East as the coach at Rutgers
- Led the United States to a bronze medal at the 1991 Pan American Games
- International experience also includes coaching in Mexico in 1979 and touring China in 1981 as head coach of the U.S. Select Team as well as coaching the USA’s entry in the 1985 World University Games and the 1989 World Championship Zone Qualification tournament
C. Vivian Stringer
The master builder of basketball programs Is the only collegiate...
Cappie Pondexter
- Led Rutgers University to a 97-22 record and back-to-back Big East Championships (2005, 2006)
- Elite Eight appearance with Rutgers (2005)
- Big East Rookie of the Year (2003)
- Big East Player of the Year (2006)
- Women’s Basketball News Service National Player of the Year (2006)
- 2nd overall pick in WNBA Draft (2006)
- 2x WNBA Champion (2007, 2009)
- WNBA Finals MVP (2007)
- 7x WNBA All-Star (2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015)
- WNBA 15th, 20th and 25th Anniversary Teams
- Olympic Gold Medalist (2008)
- 4x Turkish National League (2007, 2008, 2012. 2013)
- 4x Turkish President Cup winner (2007, 2008, 2012, 2013)
- 3x Russian Cup Winner (2009, 2010, 2011)
Cappie Pondexter
Led Rutgers University to a 97-22 record and back-to-back Big...
Carol Blazejowski
- One of the game’s most prolific scorers, appropriately known as “The Blaze”
- Tallied 3,199 points during a phenomenal collegiate career at Montclair (N.J.) State College from 1974-78
- Three time Kodak All-America selection (1976, 1977, 1978) and the first-ever recipient of the Wade Trophy as the 1978 women’s collegiate player of the year
- Earned a gold medal at the World Championships and a silver medal at the Pan American Games in 1979
- Selected to the 1980 Olympic Team, which boycotted the XXIInd Olympiad in Moscow
- Played with the New Jersey Gems of the Women’s Basketball League (WBL) and was the league’s leading scorer in 1980-81
- Still holds women’s collegiate scoring average records for a career (31.7 ppg) and a season (38.6 ppg)
Carol Blazejowski
One of the game’s most prolific scorers, appropriately known as...
Carol Callan
- Spent 10 years as the Director of Athletics/Activities for Fairview High School in Colorado (1986-1995)
- Served as the USA Basketball Women’s National Director since 1996
- Responsible for the women’s teams’ programs, including competitions, trials, training camps, and working as a liaison to women’s competition committees
- Served on the National Team Steering Committee, the National Team Player Selection Committee, and the Developmental National Team Committee as a non-voting chair.
- Williams Woods University Alumni Award of Distinction (2015)
- Directed seven straight Olympic Games gold medal-winning teams from 1996 to 2020 and five of the last six World Championships since 1998 to 2018.
- Honored alongside the 1996 U.S. Olympic Team as a Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame Trailblazer
- Volunteered on the USA Basketball’s Executive Committee as secretary (1992, 1993, 1994, 1995)
- On the WBCA Board of Directors, Callan served as Screening Committee Chair, First Vice President, President, and Past President
Carol Callan
Spent 10 years as the Director of Athletics/Activities for Fairview...
Carol Eckman
- Commonly referred to as the “Mother of National Collegiate Championships”
- Established the first National Invitational Women’s Intercollegiate Basketball Tournament in 1969, hosting a 16-team tourney at West Chester State College, which served as a catalyst in the formation of the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW)
- Served as the head women’s basketball coach at West Chester State College from 1967 to 1972
- Also coached one season at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (1973) and four years at Lock Haven State College (1974-1977)
- Guided West Chester to an undefeated season and the title of that first National Invitational Tournament in 1969
- Recipient of the AIAW Merit Award for Leadership in 1982
Carol Eckman
Commonly referred to as the “Mother of National Collegiate Championships”...