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03/04/2006
WBL in the News
What are they up to now? This page is for news, updates, etc., regarding ex-WBLers. Let me know if you run across anything I should include here. Karra
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March 3, 2006 additions:
Jessie Kenlaw (Houston Angels) re-signs with 2004 WNBA champ Seattle Storm (2/27/06)
Roberta Williams (San Francisco Pioneers) has her jersey retired (2/23/06)
A fun profile of Kaye Young (New York Stars, New Jersey Gems) and daughter in anticipation of the Superbowl --(Kaye's husband Bill Cowher coaches the champion Pittsburgh Steelers) (2/4/06)
A Las Vegas Sun columnist remembers Molly Bolin (Iowa Cornets) and her poster fondly (1/14/06)
Ann Meyers-Drysdale (New Jersey Gems) is recognized for her journalistic success (1/14/06)
Terry Kunze (Minnesota Fillies coach) and his 1961 team are remembered (1/13/06)
Linda Roberts (Minnesota Fillies) is honored and remembers her brief time as a Fillie (1/11/06)
Sharon Beverly (New Jersey Gems) has been named athletic director at Vassar College (12/9/05)
Donna Orender (as Donna Geils, New York Stars, New Jersey Gems, Chicago Hustle) makes waves as the new WBNA President, and more waves here (7/10/05, 9/14/05)
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May 31, 2005 additions:
De ja vu: Coach Dave Cowens with the upcoming Chicago franchise has named as a consultant a familiar WBL name: Former Chicago Hustle coach Doug Bruno, presently head coach at DePaul.
And in other coaching news: Former Houston Angels assistant coach and Dallas Diamonds coach Greg Williams has been named head coach at Rice.
The May 20 St. Louis Post-Dispatch included an interesting article on challenges faced by new WNBA President Donna Orender (New York Stars, New Jersey Gems, Chicago Hustle), also mentioning the WBL. Also, the May 17 Newsday has a fun article on Donna's background. The text of both articles is available here.
Chicago Hustle general manager Chuck Shriver has been inducted into the Northern Star Hall of Fame (Northern Illinois University).
What's Gordy Nevers (owner, Minnesota Fillies) up to these days? An article from the April 25, 2005, Columbia Daily Tribune (MO) about the 1958 MU baseball team answers the question. Text available here.
And what's up with David Biagnini (PR director, New York Stars)? Find out on his company's website.
May 21, 2005 additions:
BIG NEWS: In February 2005, Donna Orender, fka Donna Geils (New York Stars, New Jersey Gems, Chicago Hustle) was named President of the WNBA. The news was reported widely, including New York Times article (Feb. 16) and Houston Chronicle (May 18) article, the text of which are both available here. Also check out Donna's chat on ESPN. The first question she was asked: What was it like playing in the WBL?
Like mother . . . Mike Montgomery, son of WBL MVP Rosie Walker (Nebraska Wranglers), was drafted in the 6th round of the NFL by the Green Bay Packers in April. And speaking of Packers with WBL connections, Keith Willis is the son of Mara Melbourne (New York Stars, California Dreams).
In the small-world category, "TC St. Francis grad earns starting spot as a freshman," from the Jan. 30, 2005, Travers City Record Eagle tells us that a niece of Mary Ellen Carney (Milwaukee Does, also pre-season Chicago Hustle) is now a starting forward for Doug Bruno (Chicago Hustle) at DePaul University.
Speaking of Doug Bruno, read his views on Chicago's new WNBA team in "Back to the future: Chicago set for women's pro hoops," in the (Chicago) Daily Herald, Feb. 5, 2005, text available here.
An update on Deb Prevost (Milwaukee Does) appeared in the May 13, 2005, Billings (Montana) Gazette, text available here.
Christy Earnhardt McKinney (Dallas Diamonds) is now the head women's basketball coach at Clemson. One candidate to replace her was Greg Williams (coach, Houston Angels, Dallas Diamonds), according to a May 16, 2005 Houston Chronicle article, text available here.
"Women's Hoopster's Assist on the Court and in the Community", Dec. 21, 2004, is a nice update on Jean Marie (Giarusso) Burr (New Jersey Gems).
What's Terry Kunze (coach, Minnesota Fillies) up to these days? Find out with "Former pro athletes coaching at Augsburg" from the Dec. 29, 2004, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, text available in 2004 News Articles.
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"High school sweethearts built Ankeny developments" is a fun article in the 1-13-05 Des Moines Register about Rod Lein (Iowa Cornets).
And check out "Cowher hitting Steel Curtain instead of 'rookie wall'" from the 1-19-05 USA Today, which talks about Kaye Young Cowher (New York Stars; New Jersey Gems), wife of Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Bill Cowher.
This "Basketball Plays Host to Alabama on Sunday" mentions a University of Tennessee alumni game last year that included Sherri Fancher Wolfenbarger (Dallas Diamonds) on the roster.
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Here's a nice article on the Seattle Storm's website about Jessie Kenlaw (Houston Angels), assistant coach for the 2004 WNBA Champion.
"When it comes to basketball strategy, Cowher leaves that mostly to his wife, Kaye [Young], a former professional player for the New York Stars." So says a fun article in the Newark Star-Ledger about Bill Cowher, head coach of the playoff-bound Pittsburgh Steelers, who regularly attends his daughter Meagan Cowher's basketball games at Princeton.
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Terry Conlin (Milwaukee Does, Minnesota Fillies) and Barb Hansen (San Francisco Pioneers) are featured in this Sept. 23, 2004 Ann Arbor News article.
An Oct. 11, 2004 Seattle Post-Intelligencer article about the WNBA Champion Seattle Storm includes a quote about media coverage of women's sports from author Mariah Burton Nelson (New Jersey Gems).
New England Gulls coach Dana Skinner was recently inducted into the New England Basketball Hall of Fame.
Karen Aulenbacher on American Gladiators (to those who remember Karen's defense with the Houston Angels, this will come as no surprise).
A March 2004 column by Dean "the Dream" Meminger mentioning his championship with the New York Stars and his drug problem in the 1970s.
Sharon Farrah (New York Stars, New Orleans Pride) reminiscing about women's sports in the '70s.
What is former New York Stars PR Director David Biagini up to these days?
And how about Rosie Thompson (St. Louis Streak)?
This is a nice recognition by her peers for Sue Hlavacek (Philadelphia Fox).
Here's a fun article about Mary Fuller (St. Louis Streak). Check out the great picture!
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Last week, Iowa State announced its 2004 Hall of Fame class, which includes Pat Hodgson (Iowa Cornets).
Nancy Lieberman (Dallas Diamonds) is head coach of the NWBL champion Dallas Fury (whose players include Cheryl Ford, Sheryl Swoopes, La'Neishea Caufield, and NWBL MVP Anna DeForge.)
Sounds like the Queens women's basketball reunion in January '04 had a great lineup, including several former WBL players.
Dean "the Dream" Meminger (New York Stars, San Francisco Pioneers), the new head coach of men's basketball at Manhattanville College, had a great season, and talked about his drug problems in the '70s.
Sharon Farrah (New York Stars, New Orleans Pride) gets a nod in this March '04 article about Missouri women's basketball.
So does Patti Bucklew (Dayton Rockettes, California Dreams) in this article about Slippery Rock's program.
In a Sept. '03 article, The Sports Curmudgeon says, "The Women's Basketball League may not have been an economic success or even an artistic success, but it certainly provided more interesting news tidbits in its short lifetime than the WNBA has in its existence."
And in another reunion-related article, Des Moines Register article from Sept. '03 about the Iowa Cornets.
It's a 2002 Minnesota Spokesman article, but new to us: Information on some former Minnesota professional athletes, including Tonyus Chavers (Minnesota Fillies, Iowa Cornets, St. Louis Streak), Peggy Jackson (Fillies); Linda Roberts (Fillies).
Other "new" articles now available are an article (from 2001) about Cindy Haugejorde (San Francisco Pioneers) and one from 1998 about Bonnie Foley (St. Louis Streak).
Haven't seen Dan Moulton (coach, Iowa Cornets) for a while? Here's his real estate site, picture and all.
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As part of its celebration of 25 years of professional women's basketball, the WNBA has posted a history of the WBL, and is "checking in" with WBL players on its website. So far, we've been treated to Molly Bolin (Iowa Cornets, San Francisco Pioneers), Mariah Burton Nelson (New Jersey Gems), and (upcoming) Michelle McKenzie (Dayton Rockettes, California Dreams). You can access the interviews at here. Kudos to the WNBA for recognizing the ones who started it all.
The Nov/Dec 2003 issue of Women's Basketball magazine has a piece on the WBL Reunion. Here's the website if you're not already a subscriber and your local bookstore doesn't have it (which should warrant a comment to said bookstore, I would think.)
Marshall Geller (owner, San Francisco Pioneers) has been appointed chairman of ValueVision Media, as reported in this article.
An amusing note: Back in the late 1970s, articles about basketball phenom Ann Meyers frequently identified her as "Dave Meyers' sister." Meyers was playing for the Milwaukee Bucks at the time. (He played four seasons in the NBA.) Ironically, an article in the December 9, 2003, Durham Herald Sun that mentioned Meyers in passing said he is "remembered more as the brother of Ann Meyers."
Bill Byrne (WBL founder) reports that he has recovered from the surgery that deprived us of his presence at the Reunion.
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Previous:
A nice article in the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram says that '70s stars like Ann Meyers should not be forgotten . . .
Telling it like it is . . . A column by Mariah Burton Nelson (who played in the WBL as Maggie Nelson from Stanford) about her recent hysterectomy, "Take My Uterus, Please," appeared in the 8/11/03 Washington Post.
Condolences on Chris McGoldrick Zabel's recent loss (6/03)
Leslie Chavies (10/02) has still got it . . .
Coach Doug Bruno (8/7/03) continues his camp success . . .
Jessie Kenlaw (7/24/03) movin' on up . . .
Archived:
Evelyn "Snoopy" Bender (2003) catches the legislature's eye . . .
Carol Blazejowski (03-11-03) blazes a trail . . .
Queen Brumfield Nard (2-3-03) earns some kudos . . .
Kathy DeBoer (May 2003) switches gears . . .
Tara Heiss (April 2003) is inducted . . .
Rosalind Jennings (2003) teams up again with another WBL veteran . . .
Terry Kunze (summer 2003) is back in some familiar digs . . .
Gail Marquis (summer 2003) tries to lure the 2012 Olympics to New York City . . .
Pearl "the Earl" Moore (2-2-03) scores again . . .
Diane Morales (April 2003) passes down some of her sporting genes . . .
Mariah Burton Nelson (Oct. 2003) is a keynote speaker (actually, there were a lot of these listings; I just picked one at random to post) . . .
Anita Ortega (Oct. 2002) makes the grade . . .
Rhonda Penquite of Just In Time Ministries is on Praise 940 AM from 2:30-2:45 Monday through Friday (as of July 2003)
Rosie Walker's son Mike Montgomery is now playing football for Texas A & M. Gee, wonder where he got his athletic prowess . . .
Greg Williams (April 18, 2003) becomes a Flyer . . .
Kaye Young (2003) reflects on Title IX . . .