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| Nancy Lieberman (Click Photo For More Information) |
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Hall of Famer Nancy Lieberman is and accomplished basketball player, coach, two-time Olympian, broadcaster and writer in additon to being one of the most recognized individuals in the history of women's basketball. Nancy's inspirational journey is a story of determination, strength and incredible motivation to become the greatest.
A native Queens, NY, Nancy played hoops on the rough-and-tumble Harlem courts, and developed a tough style basketball that led her on a career that was one of the most distinguished ever. In the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, at the age of 18 she became the youngest basketball player in Olympic history to win a silver medal. From 1976 to 1980, Lieberman attended Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA, where she and her team won two consecutive Association of Intercollegiate Athletics of Women (AIAW) National Chanmpionships (1979, 1980) and compiled a 72-2 record. Nancy also led the Lady Monarchs to a Women's National Invitation Tournament Championship in 1978.
In addition to being the first two-time winner of the prestigious Wade Trophy, the official National "Player of the Year" Award in women's college basketball, Nancy also won three consecutive Kodak All-American Awards (1978-1980).
At the professional level, Nancy played for several teams and leagues, including the Dallas Diamonds of the Women's Pro Basketball League (which eventually became the WABA), where she led her team to the 1984 WABA Championship. In 1986, Nancy became the first woman ever to play in a men's league - - the United States Basketball League (USBL) - - with the Springfield Fame and the Washington Generals.
Nancy was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1996, and to the Women's and to the Women's Basketball Hall of Fane in 1999. In addition, The Nancy Lieberman Award is given annually to the best female point guard in NCAA Division I basketball.
In January 1997, at the age of 38, Nancy was drafted in the inaugural season by the Women’s National Basketball Association’s (WNBA) Phoenix Mercury. A season later, she was hired as the General Manager and Head Coach of the WNBA’s Detroit Shock, a team she coached for three seasons.
In 2000, Nancy not only returned to Old Dominion to complete her undergraduate degree in interdisciplinary studies, but also served as President of the Women’s Sports Foundation. In 2004, she became the Head Coach for the Dallas Fury of the National Women’s Basketball League (NWBL), and guided the team to a championship that season.
Nancy has provided commentary for ABC, ESPN, NBC and NBA-TV, and is a contributing writer to the Dallas Morning News, The New York Times and USA Today. She is currently a full-time analyst with ESPN for men’s and women’s college basketball, as well as both the men’s (NBA) and women’s (WNBA) Development Leagues.
Nancy Lieberman is also heavily involved with many charities, including Special Olympics and the Jimmy V Foundation (named for the late Jim Valvano) . . . and is also the local Chairperson for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation’s “Race for the Cure” in Plano, TX, a support group for victims of breast cancer.
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