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Andrea Lloyd Curry
- Four-year starter at the University of Texas; led the Longhorns to the No. 1 ranking in the final women’s basketball poll each year, with an overall career record of 125-8, winning the National Championship in 1986 and becoming the first team to ever finish a season undefeated (34-0) that year
- Averaged 12.6 points and 8.8 rebounds while shooting 53 percent from the floor in 127 games at Texas .
- 1987 Kodak All-America; 1985, 1986, 1987 Naismith All-America; 1987 Basketball Writers Association All-America; 1983-84 SWC Newcomer of the Year at Texas
- Five-time member of USA Basketball’s Senior National Team, winning the gold medal in the 1988 Olympics
- Played nine years in the Italian Professional League, where she was named an All-Star eight times
- Played three seasons in the American Basketball League (Columbus Quest), winning two ABL Championships; two seasons in the WNBA (Minnesota Lynx)
- Enshrined as a member of the Idaho High School Basketball Hall of Fame, Idaho Athletic Hall of Fame, Inland Northwest Sports Hall of Fame and University of Texas Hall of Honor
- Listed 14 th of Sports Illustrated “ Idaho 50 Greatest 20 th-Century Athletes”
- North Idaho Female High School Athlete of the Year 1981, 1982, 1983 ( Moscow HS)
- Idaho Girl’s A-2 Basketball Player of the Year in 1982 and 1983 ( Moscow HS)
- Won back-to-back state championships at Moscow HS (1980-81, 1981-82)
- Played in two Elite 8s (1984, 1985) and one Final Four (1987), in addition to the 1986 National Championship run at Texas.
- Won championships at the high school, college, professional and Olympic levels
Andrea Lloyd Curry
Four-year starter at the University of Texas; led the Longhorns...
Andy Landers
- The first – and still only – full-time women’s basketball head coach at Georgia
- Took over a struggling Georgia program (37-85) in 1979 at the age of 26 and has never had a losing season
- Three-time SEC Coach of the year (1984, 1986, 1996)
- Four-time National Coach of the Year – 1986 by the USBWA; 1987 by the Women’s Basketball News Service, 1996 by Naismith, and 2000 by USBWA and Women’s Basketball News Service
- In 28 seasons at Georgia , has tallied a record of 684-215 (.761) while producing 23 20-win teams, 16 25-win teams and three 30-win seasons.
- Has averaged 24.4 wins during career with the Lady Bulldogs, a statistic that ranks fourth among all Division I women’s basketball head coaches with at least 20 seasons of tenure
- Has led Georgia to bids in 24 of 26 NCAA tournaments, including two national runner-up finishes, five Final Fours, 10 Elite Eights, and 17 Sweet 16s
- Ranks second all-time in NCAA Tournament appearances and fourth in tournament games (71) and wins (47)
- Under his up-tempo and pressure defensive style, Georgia has gone 408-7 when scoring more than 80 points
- Became the winningest college basketball coach in the state of Georgia ’s history on Dec. 3, 2006
- Under his guidance, Lady Bulldogs players captured three National Player of the Year honors, earned 12 Kodak All-America certificates and won five Olympic Gold Medals
- A native of Maryville, TN
- Married to Pam McClellan and the father of Andrea Lauren and Drew Joseph
Andy Landers
The first – and still only – full-time women’s basketball...
Bridgette Gordon
- Made an NCAA-record four consecutive trips to the Final Four at the University of Tennessee
- Won two national championships (1987 and 1989); tallied an overall record of 115-21
- One of only 20 players recognized as Legends of the Final Four in 1996
- Two-time Kodak, Naismith and USBWA All-American (1988, 1989)
- Women’s Final Four Most Valuable Player in 1989; Final Four All-Tournament team member in 1987 and 1989
- Two-time Kodak, Naismith and USBWA All-American (1988, 1989)
- Co-SEC Rookie of the Year in 1986; All-SEC team (1986-1989); SEC Player of the Year and Female Athlete of the Year in 1989; Led the SEC in scoring in 1988 & 1989
- One of two collegiate members of gold-medal winning USA Olympic women’s basketball team in 1988
- Still holds record for most career steals (338) and is second all-time leading scorer in school history (2,450 points) after averaging 18 points and 6.7 rebounds in 137 games at Tennessee .
- One of only five Lady Vols to have her number (30) retired, and was a member of the inaugural class of 2001 into the Tennessee Lady Vols Athletic Hall of Fame
- One of five players named to the NCAA’s 25 th Silver Anniversary team in 2006
- Played for the Sacramento Monarchs in 1997-1998; also played professional basketball in Italy (1989-1997) and Turkey (1999-2000); won seven Italian Championships as an All-Star performer
- Worked as a broadcaster covering the Lady Vols for Fox Sports South; Was an Assistant Women’s Basketball Coach at Stetson University (2001-2006); Currently working as a scout for the WNBA
Bridgette Gordon
Made an NCAA-record four consecutive trips to the Final Four...
Daedra Charles Furlow
- Became first player from the Southeastern Conference to win the Wade Trophy in 1991
- Two-time National Champion (1989, 1991) and two-time Kodak All-American (1990, 1991) at the University of Tennessee
- One of only five Lady Vols to have her number (32) retired, and was a member of the inaugural class of 2001 into the Tennessee Lady Vol Athletic Hall of Fame
- Better known as “The Train.”
- SEC Female Athlete of the Year in 1991
- Three-time member of USA Basketball’s Senior National Team, winning the bronze medal in the 1992 Olympics
- Played professionally in Japan , Italy and France from 1991-97
- Played for the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks in 1997
- Named one of ESPN’s Top 25 College Women’s Players in 2005
- Scored 1,495 points, grabbed 858 rebounds and blocked 95 shots in three seasons as a Lady Vol
- Color Analyst for Comcast Local (2004, 2005, 2006)
- Currently is an assistant coach for the Tennessee women’s basketball team
- Has held positions on various coaching staffs since 1998 – Texas Tech Operations and Director for Women’s Athletics, Florida Assistant Coach, University of Detroit Assistant Coach, Auburn Operations and Assistant Coach
- Finished career seventh on scoring list, sixth in rebounding and second in blocked shots in Tennessee ‘s record books
- Married to Anthony Furlow and is the mother of 7-year-old Anthonee
Daedra Charles Furlow
Became first player from the Southeastern Conference to win the...
Mel Greenberg
- Staff writer at the Philadelphia Inquirer for 37 years
- First writer to be inducted into Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame
- Created the first weekly national collegiate women’s basketball poll in 1976; two years later it began worldwide transmission as the Associated Press women’s rankings
- Best known for national and local coverage of women’s basketball at the collegiate and professional levels
- Covered every national finals dating back to the era of the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW)
- Known as “The Guru,” “Mr. Women’s Basketball,” “The Godfather”
- Received Women’s Basketball Coaches Association’s first media award in 1991; award was re-named the “Mel Greenberg Award” and given each year to someone whose work in the media helps foster the growth of women’s basketball
- Received the Big East’s Media Award in 2004
- Received the Jake Wade Award in 2005, given by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) to a member of the news media who has made a major impact on collegiate athletics
- Received the ECAC-SIDA, an offshoot of the national organization, media award in 2006
- Inducted into the Philadelphia Big Five Hall of Fame (1992), the United States Basketball Writers Association Hall of Fame (2002) and the Philadelphia Jewish Sports Hall of Fame (2005).
- Has covered the WNBA extensively every summer since the pro league’s beginning in 1997, as well as the former American Basketball League during its brief existence from 1996-98
- During his collegiate days at Temple University , he served as basketball manager for Hall-of-Fame coach Harry Litwack’s men’s team
Mel Greenberg
Staff writer at the Philadelphia Inquirer for 37 years First...
Trailblazers of the Game
2010 Recipient
The Edmonton Grads
The Edmonton Commercial Graduates Basketball Club was founded in 1915 by John Percy Page. The origins of the Club can be traced to the McDougall Commercial Girls High School Basketball team in Edmonton, Canada. When team members graduated high school, they convinced coach John Percy Page to continue the team as a Club sport. Membership with the Club was exclusive, only 38 women ever wore the Grad jersey. Winnie Martin (Tait) was the First Captain of the Edmonton Grads, playing from 1915-1924. The Grads played 522 games officially in Canada, the United States and Europe. The Club tallied a 502-20 record in 25 years of play The Edmonton Commercial Graduates are widely considered the greatest women’s team ever assembled. Financially restrained, members often chipped in to raise funds for national play. Their strong dedication to the game and will to persevere in a time when women’s basketball was largely ignored makes the Edmonton Grads praiseworthy John Percy Page coached the club to 18 Canadian Championships The Club attended four sets of Olympic Games: Paris in 1924, Amsterdam in 1928, Los Angeles in 1932, and Berlin in 1936 where they received 4 unofficial Olympic titles The Club played its last game on June 5, 1940, defeating a Chicago team 62-52 Dr. James A. Naismith was quoted to say, “There is no team that I mention more frequently in talking about the game. My admiration is not only for your remarkable record of games won (which itself would make you stand out in the history of basketball) but also for your record of clean play, versatility in meeting teams at their own style, and more especially for your unbroken record of good sportsmanship.”
2010 Recipient
The Former Helms/Citizens/Savings/Founders Bank
Based in Los Angeles, the Helms Foundation was created in 1936 by Bill Schroeder and Paul Helms The Helms Foundation was established to select national championship teams and All-American teams in a number of college sports, including women’s basketball The Panel met annually to vote on a National Champion and retroactively ranked basketball back to 1901 When Paul Helms died in 1957, United Savings and Loan became the Helms Foundation’s benefactor and eventually became known as the Citizens Savings Athletic Foundation The Foundation officially dissolved in 1982 13 Helms Foundation members are also Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame Inductees: Alline Banks (Sprouse), Joan Crawford, Lyrlyne Greer, Rita Horkey, Doris Rogers, Margaret Sexton, Hazel Walker, Katherine Washington, Nera White, John Head, Claude Hutcherson, Harley Redin, and Lometa Odom
2011 Recipient
All American Red Heads
The All American Red Heads played for 50 years from 1936-1986, which is still the longest running women’s professional team. The Red Heads were founded by Mr. & Mrs. C.M. Olson in Cassville, Missouri. C.M. Olson was the former coach/owner of a male exhibition basketball team called Olson’s Terrible Swedes. Known for their on-court antics, this inspired C.M. Olson’s wife, Doyle, and the women who worked in her beauty salons to form a women’s professional exhibition team. In 1954, Coach Orwell Moore and his wife Lorene “Butch” Moore bought the Red heads and moved the team to Caraway, Arkansas. Lorene Moore played on the team for eleven years, scoring 35,426 points during her career. The Red Heads were so popular that during the years 1964-1971 there may have been as many as three Red Head teams traveling the country. In 1972, the Red Heads won 500 out of 642 games played against men’s team. Throughout the years the All American Red Heads played in all 50 states as well as Mexico, Canada, and the Philippines. The team has been featured in national magazines such as Life, Look, Sports Illustrated and Women’s Sports, and they were widely considered as the greatest women’s basketball team in the world. Coach Moore retired and disbanded the Red Heads in 1986 after 50 years of play The All American Red Heads still have annual reunions today.
2013 Recipient
Wayland Baptist Flying Queens(1953-1958)
Hutcherson, a Wayland graduate and owner of Hutcherson Air Service, provided air transportation for the Queens to games in Mexico in 1948. That encounter blossomed into a full sponsorship of the team in 1950, a change that brought with it a new mascot – the Hutcherson Flying Queens. Five decades later, Wayland is still atop the world of women’s basketball for they still remain the only women’s team in history to win 1,300 games. Long before Connecticut became a dominant power in women’s basketball, the Flying Queens of Wayland Baptist thrived on innovation, talent and glamour, playing on athletic scholarships, traveling by private planes, warming up with ostentatious drills learned from the Harlem Globetrotters and winning every game for nearly five seasons. The Wayland Baptist University women’s team achieved a 131-game winning streak from November of 1953 to March of 1958 before losing 46-42 to Nashville Business School. During that time the Flying Queens captured four consecutive AAU national championships.
2014 Recipient
1976 USA Olympic Basketball Team
The 1976 USA Women’s Basketball team captured the United States’ first medal in Olympic women’s basketball history winning the silver medal. The USA’s silver medal finish served a notice to the rest of the world that the United States would be a force in Olympic women’s basketball. Since the 1976 Olympics, the USA Women’s Basketball Teams have compiled a record of 55 and 1 and captured 7 gold medals and 1 bronze in Olympic play. The 1976 USA Olympic Women’s Basketball Team paved the way for United States dominance. The 1976 team has produced 11 Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame Inductees. Ann Meyers Drysdale (Class of 1999), Nancy Lieberman (Class of 1999), Billie Moore (Class of 1999), Pat Summitt (Class of 1999), Mary Anne O’Conner, Lusia Harris Stewart (Class of 1999), Gail Marquis, Nancy Dunkle (Class of 2000), Sue Gunter (Class of 2000), Patricia Roberts (Class of 2000), Sue Rojcewicz (Class of 2000), Charlotte Lewis, Juliene Simpson (Class of 2000), Cindy Brogdon (Class of 2002), Jeanne Rowlands, Gail Weldon
2015 Recipient
Immaculata Mighty Macs(1972-1974)
The 1972-74 Mighty Macs team captured the first three Assoication for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) championships. Immaculata is considered the birthplace of modern college women’s basketball. In addition, to winning the first three college national championships, the Mighty Macs were the first women’s team along with the University of Maryland to appear on National television. They were also the first women’s team, along with Queen’s College, to play at Madison Square Garden. Their inspirational story was made into a feature-length theatrical movie called The Mighty Macs and released by Sony Pictures in 2011. The 1972-74 teams have produced 3 Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame Inductees. Listed are the individuals associated with the three teams; Janet Ruch Boltz, Denise Conway Crawford, Janet Young Eline, Theresa Shank Grentz (Class of 2001), Barbara Deuble Kelly, Tina Krah, Patricia Mulhern Loughran, Judy Marra Martelli, Sue Forsyth O’Grady, Rene Muth Portland, Betty Ann Hoffman Quinn, Cathy Rush (Class of 2000), Mary Scharff, Marianne Crawford Stanley (Class of 2002), Maureen Stuhlman, and Marie Liguori Williams.
2016 Recipient
1996 USA Olympic Basketball Team
The 1996 USA Olympic Basketball Team dominated its competition to reclaim the Olympic gold medal in Atlanta. Rolling to an 8-0 Olympic mark, the USA, which began training on October 2, 1995, compiled a 52-0 record during its pre-Olympic competition to finish with an overall 60-0 record. More popular than any previous women’s basketball team, the USA drew a record 202,556 fans during the Olympics for an average of 25,320 a game. The 1996 Olympic Team includes 12 Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame Inductees. Jennifer Azzi (Class of 2009), Ruthie Bolton (Class of 2011), Teresa Edwards (Class of 2010), Venus Lacey, Lisa Leslie (Class of 2015), Rebecca Lobo (Class of 2010), Katrina McClain (Class of 2006), Nikki McCray (Class of 2012), Carla McGhee, Dawn Staley (Class of 2012), Katy Steding, Sheryl Swoopes (Class of 2017), Tara VanDerveer (Class of 2002), Ceal Barry (Class of 2018), Nancy Darsch, Marian Washington (Class of 2004), Bruce Moseley, Gina Konin Larence
2017 Recipient
Delta State Women's Basketball Teams(1975-1977)
The 1975, 1976, 1977 Delta State teams captured three consecutive AIAW championships. After finishing 16-2 in the 1973-74 revival season following a 40-year layoff of the women’s basketball program, Delta State proceeded to end Immaculata College’s three-year AIAW national championship reign in season No. 2 by going undefeated at 28-0. Delta State followed its first AIAW national crown by also winning the next two as the Lady Statesmen defeated Immaculata (69-64) at Penn State and then LSU (68-55) at Minnesota. During their three championship years, Delta State compiled a 93-4 record (28-0, 33-1, 32-3), including a then-record 51 straight wins. The 1975-77 teams have produced 2 Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame inductees, Margaret Wade and Lusia Harris Stewart. The WBCA Wade Trophy, considered the Heisman of women’s basketball, is named in honor of Lily Margaret Wade. Listed are the individuals associated with the three teams: Angel Fortenberry, Ann Logue, Beth Trussell, Cornelia Ward, Debbie Brock, Jackie Caston, Janie Evans, Jill Rhodes, Judy Davis, Kathy Lewis, Key Crump, Laurie Ann Harper, Lusia Harris Stewart (Class of 1999), Lynn Adubato, Mandy Fortenberyy, Margaret Wade (Class of 1999), Mary Logue, Melissa Thames, Melissa Ward, Mimi Williams, Pam Piazza, Romona Von Boeckman, Sheri Haynes, Tish Fahey, Virginia Shackelford, and Wanda Hairston.
2018 Recipient
Women's Professional Basketball League (WBL)
The Women’s Professional Basketball League (WBL) was the first professional women’s basketball league in the United States. The WBL lasted three seasons from 1978 to 1981. The league was created by sports promoter Bill Byrne and feature eight teams during its inaugural season. The original eight teams were the Chicago Hustle, Milwaukee Does, Iowa Cornets, Minnesota Fillies, Dayton Rockettes, Houston Angels, New Jersey Gems and New York Stars. The league played its first game on December 9, 1978, between the Chicago Hustle and the Milwaukee Does at the Milwaukee Arena in front of 7,824 fans. The Houston Angels were the league champions during the inaugural season in 1979, while the New York Stars and the Nebraska Wranglers won the next two league championships in 1980 and 1981 respectively. Rita Easterling won MVP honors during the first season (1978-79), Molly Bolin and Ann Meyers were co-MVPs the second year (1979-80), and Rosie Walker claimed the MVP honors during the final season (1980-81). Many notable Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame inductees were associated with the WBL including Carol Blazejowski, Cindy Brogdon, Nancy Dunkle, Peggie Gillom-Granderson, Lusia Harris Stewart, Tara Heiss, Nancy Lieberman, Muffet McGraw, Ann Meyers Drysdale, Pearl Moore, Inge Nissen, Patricia Roberts, Uljana Semjonova, Rosie Walker, and Holly Warlick.
2019 Recipient
Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women - AIAW
The AIAW was founded in 1971 to govern collegiate women’s athletics in the United States and was one of the key contributors to the significant advancements of women’s athletics at the collegiate level. The AIAW membership started with 280 schools and at its peak had grown to almost 1,000 schools. Many notable Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame inductees were associated with the AIAW.
2021 Recipient
1980 USA Olympic Basketball Team
The 1980 U.S. Women’s Basketball team knew they would not be able to compete for the Olympic gold in Moscow because of the U.S. protest about the Olympic Games in Moscow. However, they still decided to compete in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament. In the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament, the team went 6-1 and won the tournament. The team bettered their opponents by an average victory margin of 17.7 points per game. The 1980 Team has 10 Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame Inductees, including all the coaches being members of the Hall of Fame.
Carol Blazejowski (Class of 1999), Denise Curry (Class of 1999), Anne Donovan (Class of 1999), Tara Heiss (Class of 2003), Kris Kirchner, Debra Miller, Cindy Noble (Class of 2000), LaTaunya Pollard (Class of 2001), Jill Rankin (Class of 2008), Rosie Walker (Class of 2001), Holly Warlick (Class of 2001), Lynette Woodard (Class of 2005), Sue Gunter (Class of 2000), Pat Head Summitt (Class of 1999), Lea Plarski.