The Blueblood programs of Women's College Basketball

#1

sgacock

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#1
Okay. this thread is for fun. Let's not get too heated over this. It used to be fun arguing on a now-defunct college baseball boards as to whether Florida State (under legendary coach Mike Martin) could be considered a "blueblood" when they had appeared in a zillion World Series and made it to a bunch of title games but never won it all. Same could apply here.

1. Is at least one title required for "Blueblood Status?

2. More than one title required?

3. How many?

4. Can a program be a blueblood with a "decade or so" of high level success without a title be considered a blueblood? How long.

5. Who are your blueblood programs?

6. Who is close but not there yet. (This is the one to work on being friendly) friendly)

Don't bother listing La. Tech, Tennessee, or UConn. They stand above the fray as Royalty, and in the case of LaTech, Dynastic Royalty. Once a blue blood - always a blueblood.
 
#6
#6
I think when you attach some “legendary” names associated with the program too, it adds credence to “blue blood” status. I’ll suggest these in addition to those listed above:

Texas (1 NC, Jody Conradt, Annette Smith, Andrea Loyd, Kamie Ethridge, etc.)
Southern Cal (NC x2, Cheryl Miller, the McGee twins, Linda Sharp, etc.)
UCLA (1 NC, Billie Moore, Ann Meyers, Denise Curry, Jackie Joyner Kersee, etc.)
Rutgers (1 NC, Teresa Grentz, C, Viv Stringer, Kris Kirchner, June Olkowski, etc.)

LSU and Georgia have been very competitive consistently for a long time—since the AIAW sanctioned the sport. South Carolina should be included too. It was competitive early on with such names as Sheila Foster, Sue Shue, Evelyn Johnson (Magic’s sister), Brantley Southers, Pam Parsons, etc. South Carolina beat La Tech for third place in the 1980 AIAW National Tournament. I like to point out SC’s early success to prove that there was ball being played in Columbia before Dawn Staley arrived.
 
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#7
#7
#10
#10
Is at lesst one title required for "Blueblood Status? No

2. More than one title required? No

3. How many? None

4. Can a program be a blueblood with a "decade or so" of high level success without a title be considered a blueblood? How long. Yes. Once a blueblood, always a blueblood.

5. Who are your blueblood programs? Tennessee, LA Tech, UCONN, Stanford, Virginia, Georgia, Auburn, Southern Cal, Texas, Old Dominion

6. Who is close but not there yet. (This is the one to work on being friendly) friendly) Notre Dame, LSU, South Carolina, Baylor, Purdue
 
#11
#11
Is at lesst one title required for "Blueblood Status? No

2. More than one title required? No

3. How many? None

4. Can a program be a blueblood with a "decade or so" of high level success without a title be considered a blueblood? How long. Yes. Once a blueblood, always a blueblood.

5. Who are your blueblood programs? Tennessee, LA Tech, UCONN, Stanford, Virginia, Georgia, Auburn, Southern Cal, Texas, Old Dominion

6. Who is close but not there yet. (This is the one to work on being friendly) friendly) Notre Dame, LSU, South Carolina, Baylor, Purdue
/thread
 
#17
#17
Rutgers won the last contested AIAW National Championship with Theresa Shank Grentz over Texas in 1982. They have been competitive since—even playing Tennessee for the 2007 National Championship. Connecticut didn’t want any part of Rutgers until finally having to play them in 2005. Teams like Rutgers, Cheney State, and Southern Connecticut were the inspiration for the Huskies’ emergence…finally.
 
#18
#18
IMO there should be two BB categories - Blueblood Emeritus and Blueblood Current. Imaculata and South Carolina don't belong on the same list. If you haven't been to the FF in a decade or so, you belong in the first category. In some cases, like ours, you can work your way back though.
 
#21
#21
Immaculata? Delta State?

I'd say Stanford.
Immaculata and Delta State are why we need emeritus category. They practically invented it, but they ain't coming back.

Stanford is a toughie. They've been very good, not sure about blue blood.
Old Dominion

Oh definitely Old Dominion. At the very end of the small school era, just before the major schools started investing big in WBB, ODU was up there w La Tech. The Nancy Lieberman/Ann Donovan era. They held on into the late 90s; I believe we beat them in the tourney during the Meeks era.

Anyone remember their coach Wendy Larry? Remember when RB Summitt got super worked up at a game and got caught on camera yelling "Sit your fat ass down!" at her? ODU got pretty worked up over that.
 
#22
#22
Immaculata and Delta State are why we need emeritus category. They practically invented it, but they ain't coming back.

Stanford is a toughie. They've been very good, not sure about blue blood.



Oh definitely Old Dominion. At the very end of the small school era, just before the major schools started investing big in WBB, ODU was up there w La Tech. The Nancy Lieberman/Ann Donovan era. They held on into the late 90s; I believe we beat them in the tourney during the Meeks era.

Anyone remember their coach Wendy Larry? Remember when RB Summitt got super worked up at a game and got caught on camera yelling "Sit your fat ass down!" at her? ODU got pretty worked up over that.
Haven't been relevant in decades.

So by that measure, Army is still a football blue blood, got it.
 
#25
#25
Put of the old ACC, Duke and UNC were once perennial challengers. Gail Goestenkors had Duke in "dynasty" discussions for a while there. And North Carolina? Good program. And NC St! Kay Yow was special.
Sylvia Hatchell and her kooky jackets before Mulkey ever thought about it. NC was legit.

Not sure Duke makes the cut. Had a good run under GG for sure, lowlighted by the epic upset of the Meeks in the regional that ended the Chamique/Kellie run of championships. But not sure she did enough else.
 
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