Seahawks Celebrate 50 Years of Women's Hoops

WILMINGTON, North Carolina – When Jan Donahue was asked to start the UNCW women's basketball program in the fall of 1973 by UNCW Athletics patriarch William J. "Bill" Brooks, the young head coach had a decision to make.

"I went to the women on campus and said, 'Do you want to play women's basketball or volleyball?'" she recalled. The decision was basketball and Donahue and members of the first team gathered early Monday at a local restaurant to celebrate that choice and the 50^th anniversary of the program's first team.

Members of the team traded hugs, shared stories and presented a commemorative plaque to newly-minted Director of Athletics Michael Oblinger and Deputy Athletic Director Tiffany Tucker to be placed in the Trask Coliseum display case. They also presented Donahue with a special Seahawk statuette in appreciation for her leadership and guidance during the program's early days.

An Illinois native, Donahue coached the team for three seasons, including the first year in 1973-74 when the Seahawks met regional rival Campbell in the first game for the program. A member of UNCW's physical education department at the time, Donahue steered the Seahawks through a 14-game regular season schedule and state tournament in Raleigh.

"We had nine girls who played in high school," Donahue said. The team played under the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) umbrella. "They were all very respectful, dedicated young women who became successful in life."

Members of UNCW's inaugural women's basketball team included Julie Barden, Sheila Boles, Toni Bryant, Diana DeLeon, Shelly Groce, Gwynn Hawes, Debbie Kelso, Brenda Knowles, Gail Lanier, Sharon Norris, Kathi Reston, Martha Richardson and Debbie Warner.

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Seahawks Celebrate 50 Years of Women's Hoops