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WNBA Basketball History
History - Facts - Conferences - Winners - Glossary
On March 19th, 1972, the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) holds its first championship. Immaculate College defeated West Chester State, 52-48.
1973 -- First year of scholarships for women in AIAW.
1974 -Television and radio decided to cover the AIAW's women's collegiate basketball national championships for the first time.
1975 --The Eastman Kodak Company sponsors the inaugural Women's Basketball Coaches Clinic in conjunction with the national women's basketball collegiate championships, marking the first women's basketball corporate sponsorships.
1976 --Mel Greenberg, a journalist from the Philadelphia Inquirer, compiles and releases the first Women's basketball Top 20 national poll.
1978 --The first game of the Women's Professional Basketball League (WBL) took place between the Chicago Hustle and Milwaukee Does. The eight-team league lasted three seasons.
1981 -- Last year of AIAW National Championships.First year of NAIA Women's National Championships. First NCAA Women's National Championships.Women's Basketball Coaches Association formed.
1982 --  The AIAW folds after losing its anti-trust lawsuit against the NCAA.
1984 --The U.S. women's basketball team captures its first Olympic gold medal in Los Angeles. The NCAA introduces a smaller basketball for women.
1988 --USA wins gold medal at the Seoul Olympics.
1991 --The Liberty Basketball Association is launched. It featured shorter courts, lower rims and unitards. The league folds after one exhibition game.
1992 --The Women's World Basketball Association is launched in the Midwest with six teams. It folds shortly thereafter. The U.S. wins the bronze medal at the Barcelona Olympics.
1993 ---The Women's Basketball Hall of Fame is planned for Knoxville, Tenn. The Hall of Fame is scheduled to open in 1999.
1995-1996 --The first United States Senior Women's National Team compiles an undefeated record of 52-0 against NCAA and international opponents.
On April 24, 1996, the NBA Board of Governors approved of the Women's National Basketball Association concept. Then on August 4th, the U.S. women recapture the gold medal in the Centennial Olympics in Atlanta.
1996 -- Eight cities Charlotte, Cleveland, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Phoenix, Sacramento and Utah are selected to be homes to the WNBA's charter teams.
1997 --The WNBA holds its Elite Draft for 16 signed veteran players. The WNBA holds its draft for college players and unsigned veterans. Tina Thompson of USC is the first pick.
The inaugural WNBA season begins.
WNBA
The WNBA began in 1997 with 8 teams: New York Liberty, Los Angeles Sparks, Charlotte Bobcats, Cleveland Rockets, Utah Starzz, Sacramento Monarchs, Phoenix Mercury & the Washington Mystics. All the teams where affiliated with the NBA clubs in the same city.
The Houston Comets won the first four WNBA Championships behind Cheryl Swoops, Tina Thompson, and Cynthia Cooper. Two WNBA teams have disbanded in 2002, the Portland Fire, and the Orlando team and two have moved, the Utah Starzz moved to San Antonio to become the San Antonio Silver Starzz, and the Miami Sol moved to Connecticut to become the Sun.
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