Class of 1999

A black and white photo of a young man smiling, who is not related to the women's basketball hall of fame members.

Ann Meyers-Drysdale

  • Was the first four-time Kodak All-American (1975, 1976, 1977, 1978)
  • Was the first woman to receive a full athletic scholarship to UCLA
  • Was the first high school girls’ basketball player selected for a U.S. National Team
  • Was the first player drafted by the Women’s Basketball League (WBL), leading the league in scoring and garnering MVP honors as a member of the New Jersey Gems as a rookie
  • Was the first, and only, woman to be signed to an NBA contract when she signed as a free agent with the Indiana Pacers in 1979
  • Started on the first women’s Olympic basketball team, earning a silver medal at the Montreal Games in 1976
  • Also participated in the Pan American Games, earning a gold medal in 1975 and a silver medal in 1979
  • Helped lead UCLA to the AIAW National Championship as a senior in 1978
  • Scored 1,685 points and collected 819 rebounds (17.4 ppg, 8.4 rpg) during her four years at UCLA
  • Graduated from UCLA holding 12 school records

Ann Meyers-Drysdale Read More »

A black and white photo of a woman in a white shirt.

Darlene May

  • Has been recognized internationally as one of women’s basketball’s all-time premier officials
  • Became the first female to officiate an Olympic women’s basketball game when she refereed in the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles
  • Was the first woman to officiate a men’s international game when she officiated in the 1977 World University Games in Sofia, Bulgaria
  • Also officiated the FIBA 50th Anniversary game in Geneva, Switzerland
  • Was the winningest coach in NCAA Division II women’s basketball history until 1999
  • Posted a career record of 519-119 (.813 winning percentage) in 20 years as head coach at California State Polytechnic University at Pomona
  • Guided the Broncos to three NCAA Division II titles (1982, 1985, 1986) and 13 consecutive California Collegiate Athletic Association crowns
  • Was twice selected as Division II National Coach of the Year by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (1988, 1990)

Darlene May Read More »

A black and white photo of a woman in a basketball uniform.

Nancy Lieberman

  • Became the youngest basketball player in Olympic history to win a medal as she helped the U.S. team capture a silver medal at the age of 18 at the 1976 Olympics
  • A three-time Kodak All-American (1978, 1979, 1980)
  • Led Old Dominion to back-to-back AIAW National Championships in 1979 and 1980 as well as an overall mark of 72-2
  • The only two-time winner of the Wade Trophy, symbolic of the women’s National Player of the Year
  • Received the Broderick Cup as the nation’s top female athlete in 1980
  • Scored 2,430 points, grabbed 1,167 rebounds, and dished out 961 assists during her four years at ODU
  • Was the number one draft choice of the Dallas Diamonds of the Women’s Professional Basketball League in 1980
  • Became the first female to play in a men’s professional league, signing with the Springfield Fame of the United States Basketball League in 1986
  • Joined the Washington Generals on a world tour with the Harlem Globetrotters in 1987-88
  • Played for the Phoenix Mercury (Western Conference champions) in the WNBA’s inaugural season in 1997

Nancy Lieberman Read More »

A black and white photo of a man and woman.

John Head

  • Truly among the pioneer coaches of women’s basketball
  • Coached women’s basketball for 31 years, including 17 seasons at Nashville Business College (1952-1969)
  • Registered a 689-95 worksheet at NBC
  • Guided NBC to 11 AAU Championships, including eight consecutive national titles, and reached the AAU Finals 13 times altogether
  • Coached such notables as Nera White and Joan Crawford, who are also Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame inductees
  • Led the USA to a gold medal at the 1963 Pan American Games
  • Coached USA women’s teams to a pair of gold medals at the World Championships in 1953 and 1957

John Head Read More »

A black and white photo of a woman holding a medal.

Luisa Harris Stewart

  • The prototypical center in modern women’s collegiate basketball
  • Scored the first points in Olympic women’s basketball history as a member of the 1976 U.S. Olympic team
  • Led the USA in both scoring (15.0 ppg) and rebounding (7.0 rpg) as the USA earned a silver medal in Montreal
  • Earned a gold medal as a member of the 1975 U.S. Pan American Team
  • A three-time Kodak All-American at Delta State University (1975, 1976, 1977)
  • Led the Lady Statesmen to three consecutive AIAW National Championships in 1975, 1976, and 1977 and an overall record of 109-6
  • Selected as MVP of the AIAW national tournament each of those years
  • Won the Broderick Award as the nation’s outstanding female collegiate basketball player and the Honda Broderick Cup as the best collegiate athlete in any sport in 1977
  • Finished her collegiate career with 2,981 points (25.9 ppg) and 1,662 rebounds (14.4 rpg)

Luisa Harris Stewart Read More »

A black and white photo of a woman in a vest.

Betty Jo Graber

  • Chaired the Women’s Basketball Committee from the inception of the NJCAA Women’s Division in 1975 until her retirement in 1991
  • Served as an assistant coach for the 1977 USA Junior Select Team, the 1978 National Junior Team, the 1979 World Championship and Pan American Teams, and the 1982 U.S. National Team
  • Represented the NJCAA on the ABAUSA Women’s Games Committee (1977-1988), the ABAUSA Council (1980-1984), and as ABAUSA Secretary (1984-1988)
  • Served as the team manager for the gold medal-winning U.S. team in the 1984 Olympics
  • Represented the NJCAA on the ABAUSA Women’s Games Committee (1977-1988), the ABAUSA Council (1980-1984), and as ABAUSA Secretary (1984-1988)
  • Helped to establish the NJCAA Women’s Basketball Coaches Association
  • Stands second on the all-time win list for inactive coaches in NJCAA women’s basketball
  • Voted National Junior College Coach of the Year in 1980

Betty Jo Graber Read More »

A black and white photo of a woman wearing glasses.

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 Read More »

A black and white photo of a woman smiling, who is a women's basketball hall of fame member.

Anne Donovan

  • A three-time Olympian (1980, 1984, 1988)
  • A three-time All-American (1980, 1981, 1982) during her collegiate career at Old Dominion University
  • Helped ODU go 37-1 and win an AIAW National Championship in 1980 as a freshman
  • Scored 2,719 points and collected 1,976 rebounds and 801 blocked shots during her collegiate career, marks which still stand as ODU records
  • Finished her collegiate career averaging a double-double (20.0 ppg and 14.5 rpg)
  • Selected as both the WBCA and Naismith Player of the Year in 1983
  • Was also a two-time Academic All-American (1982, 1983)
  • Played professionally in Japan and Italy for six years

Anne Donovan Read More »

A black and white photo of a woman smiling.

Denise Curry

  • A two-time Olympian (1980, 1984), earning a gold medal in 1984
  • Tallied 3,198 points during her collegiate career, scoring the most points ever by a UCLA Bruin, male or female
  • Scored in double figures in all 130 games which she played at UCLA
  • A three-time Kodak All-American (1979, 1980, 1981) and Academic All-American (1981)
  • Teamed with fellow Women’s Basketball Hall of Famer Ann Meyers in leading UCLA to an AIAW National Championship in 1978
  • Represented the USA at the World Championships and Pan American Games in both 1979 and 1983 at the World University Games in 1981
  • Named USA Basketball Player of the year 1981
  • Played eight professional seasons in Germany, France and Italy
  • Won three national championships in Germany (1983, 1984, 1985)
  • Led Stade Francais Versailles to a pair of French national championships in 1986 and 1987 and was named “French Player of the Decade” for 1980s

Denise Curry Read More »

A black and white photo of a woman in an american flag vest.

Joan Crawford

  • A 13-time AAU All-American
  • Helped lead Nashville Business College to 10 AAU titles, including eight consecutive (1961-69)
  • Was named Most Valuable Player at the 1963 and 1964 AAU National Tournaments
  • Collected a pair of gold medals at the 1959 and 1963 Pan American Games
  • Also garnered a gold medal as a member of the USA’s World Championship team in 1957
  • Has served on the NAGWS Rules Committee, the AAU Board of Governors, and the National AAU Executive Committee

Joan Crawford Read More »

Scroll to Top