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Senda Berenson Abbott
Often referred to as "the mother of women's basketball"
Modified the original rules of "Basket Ball", invented by Dr.James Naismith at the International YMCA Training School (now Springfield College), for her female classes as a means of exercise, stressing socialization and cooperation rather than competition
Served as Chairperson of the Women's Basketball Committee for 12 years. -
Mildred Ella Didrikson
She went on to become America's first female golf celebrity and the leading player of the 1940s and early 1950s. If she had wanted to gain back her amateur status, she would have had to play no other sports for three years. After gaining back her amateur status in 1942, she won the 1946 U.S. Women's Amateur and the 1947 British Ladies Amateur – the first American to do so – and three Women's Western Opens. Having formally turned professional in 1947. -
Kathrine Switzer
a 20-year-old Syracuse University junior, showed up to run the Boston Marathon in 1967. She wanted to prove to herself and her coach she was capable of running 26.2 miles. Women were not allowed to officially run the marathon, so no one questioned “K. V. Switzer” as it appeared on the application. In the middle of the race, Jock Semple, a Boston marathon official, jumped off a truck, ran toward Switzer and shouted, “Get the hell out of my race.” Switzer managed to finish. -
Lisa Leslie
is an American former professional women's basketball player who played in the WNBA. She is a three-time WNBA MVP and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner. The number seven pick in the 1997 inaugural WNBA draft, she followed a superb career at the University of Southern California with eight WNBA All-Star selections and two WNBA championships over the course of eleven seasons with the Los Angeles Sparks. Leslie, a 6'5" center, is the first player to dunk in a WNBA game. -
Becky Hammon
On August 31, 2011, Hammon became the seventh player in WNBA history to score 5,000 points. Hammon's prolific scoring for the Colorado State Rams.She led her team to a 33–3 record in the 1998–1999 season and helped them advance to the NCAA Tournament's Sweet Sixteen. She was named the WAC Mountain Division player of the year for the 1998–1999 season.On August 5, 2014, Hammon was hired as an assistant coach for the Spurs, becoming the first full-time, salaried female coach in NBA history. -
Ann Meyers
Becomes the first woman to try out and sign a contract for an NBA team. In 1979 she's the first player drafted for the new Women's Professional Basketball League. on February 18, 1978, she recorded the first quadruple-double in NCAA Division I basketball history, with 20 points, 14 rebounds, 10 assists and 10 steals.She led her basketball teams to an 80–5 record. In 1974, Meyers became the first high school student to play for the U.S. national team. -
Serena Williams
is an American professional tennis player, who is ranked No. 1 in women's singles tennis. The Women's Tennis Association (WTA) has ranked her world No. 1 in singles on six separate occasions. She became the world No. 1 for the first time on July 8, 2002, and achieved this ranking for the sixth time on February 18, 2013 Williams is regarded by some commentators and sports writers as the greatest female tennis player of all-time. -
Nicola Adams
is an English and British boxer and the first woman to win an Olympic boxing title. The gold medal winner at flyweight at the 2012 Summer Olympics held in London, as of 27 May 2016 she is the reigning Olympic, World, Commonwealth Games and European Games champion at flyweight.Adams fought (and won) her first bout at the age of 13, but it was four years before she found a second opponent. In 2001, she became the first woman boxer ever to represent England, in a fight against an Irish boxer. -
Brittney Griner
She was the second NCAA basketball player ever since Yavey Yones to score 2,000 points and block 500 shots. In 2012, the three-time All-American was named the AP Player of the Year and the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four.
Standing 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) tall, Griner wears a men's US size 17 shoe and has an arm span of 86 in (2.2 m).
In 2009, Griner was named the nation's #1 high school women's basketball player by Rivals.com. -
Tina Thompson
Thompson was selected No. 1 overall in the first round of the inaugural 1997 WNBA draft by the Houston Comets.There, she was a member of a dynasty that won four consecutive WNBA championships from 1997-2000. She is the WNBA's all-time leading scorer. In 2011, she was voted in by fans as one of the top 15 players in WNBA history. As of the 2013 season, she is also the only player to play in every WNBA season. Tina Thompson is the assistant women's basketball coach for the Texas Longhorns. -
Dawn Staley
While still a WNBA player, she started coaching the Temple University Owls women's basketball team in 2000. In six years at Temple, she led the program to six NCAA tournaments, three regular season conference championships, and four conference tournament titles. On May 7, 2008 she was named the University of South Carolina women's head basketball coach. In late 2014 her team achieved the program's first #1 ranking, making her only the second individual to both play on and coach a #1 ranked team. -
Pat Summitt
She coached from 1974 to 2012, all with the Lady Vols, winning eight NCAA championships and surpassed only by the 10 titles won by UCLA coach John Wooden and the 11 titles won by UConn coach Geno Auriemma. She was the first NCAA coach, and one of four college coaches overall, to achieve at least 1,000 wins. She has the most wins of any female basketball coach in NCAA or NAIA history. Summitt was named the Naismith Basketball Coach of the Century in April 2000. -
Laquanda Landers
Laquanda "Tweetbird" Landers was my cousin and a well-know local woman fighter from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She had the opportunity to fight George Foreman's daughter in Las Vegas, Nevada. Even thought Landers did not win the fight, she was able to last 3 rounds with the Foreman daughter. Overall Laquanda Landers was well respected women in the city of Milwaukee and many youth boys and girls look up to her including myself. She inspired me and others in the community to pursue their dream. -
Cynthia Cooper-Dyke
is an American former basketball player who has won championships in college, in the Olympics, and in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She is considered by many as one of the greatest women's basketball players ever. In 2011, she was voted by fans as one of the Top 15 players in WNBA history. Upon the league's formation, she played for the Houston Comets from 1997–2000, being named the Most Valuable Player of the WNBA Finals in all four seasons. -
Dr. Charlotte West
West was an instrumental advocate for women’s sports and a pioneer for Title IX. From 1960 to 1986 she served as the Director of Athletics for women at SIU. She transformed the department into a nationally-recognized program with 11 sports.West coached five different sports at SIU between 1957 and 1975, including serving as the first women’s basketball coach in program history. West led Saluki women’s basketball for 15 seasons while compiling a 113-51 record and winning three state titles.
