By Brandon King
The Cheney women’s basketball team made history when it became the first HBCU team to reach the Final Four in 1982.
Coached by the legendary C. Vivian Stringer, Cheney won 23 consecutive games on the road to the national semifinals, dispatching Auburn, NC State, and Kansas to join Maryland, Tennessee, and Louisiana Tech in the Final Four.
Cheyney beat Maryland 76-66 in their Final Four matchup before falling to Louisiana Tech in the first NCAA women’s national title game.
More than 40 years later, the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame recognized the team with the 2024 Trailblazer of the Game Award.
“With the popularity of women’s basketball and the attention it’s getting right now, there’s no better time to remind everyone of the history they made at the first women’s NCAA Final Four,” said former Cheyney forward Debra Walker. “You can’t talk about the NCAA Final Four unless you talk about Cheyney. Had they talked about us sooner, we might be forgotten right now.
“We’re trailblazers because they told us that we couldn’t do it.”
The living members of the team appreciated the honor in recognition of their historic 28-3 season.
“It is good to get your flowers while you’re still alive because it’s been 40 years … long overdue, said star forward Yolanda Laney.
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