Episode 034: HERstorical HIDDEN FIGURES: Presenting your 1982 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament Finalist Cheyney State Lady Wolves: Part 1

We've had some outstanding guests on the itsBIGGERthantheball pod, but I have to admit that since starting this endeavor THIS EPISODE has been a dream come true.

 

 

Coached by Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame coach C. Vivian Stringer, The 1982 Cheyney University Women's Basketball program hold the distinction of being the FIRST and ONLY HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) Women's Basketball program to advance to the NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Championship Game.

 

The CU Lady Wolves also hold the distinction of being the only HBCU Women's Basketball Program to have players achieve KODAK ALL- AMERICAN in Valerie Walker in 1981,1982, and Yolanda Laney in 1984. No other Historically Black College or University Basketball program, WOMEN or MEN, has reached the heights on the DIVISION 1 level the way the 82 Cheyney Lady Wolves has. 

 

 

The only HBCU team that could compare with this team would be the 1984 Cheyney team that would return to NCAA Final Four. 

 

One of many things that made what those Cheyney teams were able to do so impressive was that the school was what people would consider a low-resource institution. Cheyney's enrollment in 1982 was around five thousand students. Cheyney defeated (Auburn, North Carolina State, Kansas State, and Maryland) these schools all had student enrollments of over twenty thousand students and financial budgets that were almost three times that of Cheyney.

 

The 82 team finished with a record of 27-2. The ladies were undefeated at home for four years. The team won the NCAA East Regional Championship and would advance to the Final Four, beating the University of Maryland before falling to Louisiana Tech in the National Championship game.

This team would enter the tournament as a No. 2 seed. The program would continue to achieve, advancing to the 1983 Elite Eight before losing a controversial game at Penn State that would have sent them to back to back NCAA Final Fours.  

 

 

The Lady Wolves would return to the NCAA Final Four in 1984, losing to Tennessee in the National Semi-Finals. 

 

 

Ten years after the passing of Title IX, which provided social and gender equity for female athletes, these women endured racism, biased officiating, sexism, and limited resources to reach heights yet to be achieved by Division I HBCU women's basketball programs.

 

Their highlights include:
*Record of 27-2.
*Finished season ranked No. 2 in the nation.
*Repeated as Pennsylvania State Champions
*Undefeated at home for four seasons.
*Won NCAA Eastern Regional Championship by defeating Auburn of the SEC, North Carolina State of the ACC, and Kansas State of the Big 8 Conference.

*Defeated the University of Maryland of the Atlantic Coast Conference to advance to the National Championship game.

 

*Valerie Walker, Yolanda Laney, and Rosetta Guilford were voted to the ALL EAST regional team.

*Valerie Walker finished top three in voting for the prestigious WADE TROPHY, given to the nation's top women's basketball player.

 

*Walker was also voted to the KODAK ALL AMERICAN TEAM for the second year in a row.

*Coach Vivian Stringer was nominated for the STAYFREE NATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR award.

We talk with members of this HERstoric team including:
Yolanda Laney
Deb Walker 
Val Walker 
Rosetta Guilford
Saundra Giddings
Karen Draughn
Sharon Taylor
Ann Strong
Faith Wilds 

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