(About us)
About Us
(The Hall)
Since 1999, the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame has told the story of women’s basketball. Our 35,000 square foot facility is the only one of its kind dedicated to all levels of women’s basketball, both domestic and international. We’re also the perfect location for special events, including proms, wedding receptions, corporate meetings, birthday parties, and reunions.
Walk through every era of women's basketball history from the beginnings of the game, to the modern locker room, to cases featuring every level of play.
Come see our collection of engaging exhibits featuring artifacts from :
- Coaching greats like Pat Summitt, Geno Auriemma, and Tara VanDerveer
- Legendary players like Sue Bird, Sylvia Fowles, and Alana Beard
- Historic leagues like the WBL, ABL, and WNBA
- International greatness from USA Basketball to the Australian Opals
- AND MORE!!
(Our History)
Timeline
1892: Senda Berenson adapts Dr. Naismith’s basketball rules for women and introduces the game at Smith College
1896: First intercollegiate game played between Stanford University and University of California at Berkeley.
1800s
1923: Formation of the Women’s Division of the National Amateur Athletic Federation
1926: Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) sponsors first-ever national women’s basketball championship, using men’s rules.
1936: Formation of the All American Red Heads
1953: USA wins gold in first World Championship
1969: First National Invitational Intercollegiate Basketball Tournament held at West Chester State College in Pennsylvania.
1972: President Richard Nixon signs Title IX of the Educational Amendments Act of 1972.
1975: First Kodak All American Team and Immaculata defeats Maryland, 85-63, in the first ever regular season, nationally televised game.
1976: Women’s basketball makes its Olympic debut
1981: Women’s Basketball Coaches Association formed
1982: First NCAA National Championship held
1997: Inaugural WNBA season
1900s
2009: Pat Summitt becomes the first Division I coach, men’s or women's, to reach 1,000 wins.
2010: The University of Connecticut Women’s Basketball team sets the longest win streak (men’s or women’s) in college basketball at 90 consecutive victories.
2019: C. Vivian Stringer joins the 1000 win club with Geno Auriemma, Sylvia Hatchell, Tara VanDerveer, and Pat Summitt.
2024: Caitlin Clark becomes the NCAA Division I Women’s career scoring leader, finishing her college career with 3951 points.
2024: The 2024 NCAA Women’s DI Women’s Final Four was the most watched in history. The Championship game between the South Carolina Gamecocks and the Iowa Hawkeyes drew in a record-breaking 18.9 million viewers, with the Gamecocks securing the victory.
2025: Athletes Unlimited and Unrivaled basketball leagues tipped off during the WNBA off season
2025: UCONN wins their 12th NCAA DI Women’s National Championship in Tampa FL.
2026:
Landmark CBA Agreement is signed introducing record salaries, revenue sharing and player benefits for the WNBA’s 30th season.
2000s
(OUR STAFF)
The Dream Team
The Women's Basketball Hall of Fame team brings together a passionate group of dedicated professionals committed to honoring and preserving the legacy of the game. From communications and marketing to education and events, we work together to celebrate the women who have shaped basketball — and inspire the next generation to follow in their footsteps.
