VCU Women’s Basketball: A Look at the Team’s History

In this blog post, we’ll be taking a look at the history of the VCU Women’s basketball team We’ll explore some of the team’s biggest moments and accomplishments, as well as the challenges they’ve faced along the way.

The Early Years

The early years of VCU Women’s Basketball were not particularly successful. The team had a number of losing seasons, and it was not until the late 1960s that they began to turn things around. In 1967, the team posted a winning record for the first time, and they would go on to make the NCAA tournament for the first time in 1968.

The late 1960s and early 1970s were a golden era for VCU Women’s Basketball. The team made the NCAA Tournament five times in six years, including a trip to the Final Four in 1971. They also won the AIAW National Championship in 1976. Unfortunately, this era came to an end after 1979, when the team was unable to make the NCAA tournament

The next few years were tough for VCU Women’s Basketball. The team had a number of losing seasons, and it wasn’t until the mid-1980s that they began to turn things around. In 1985, they made it back to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1979, and they would go on to make three more trips in 1986, 1987, and 1988.

The AIAW Years

The AIAW years began with the program’s first season in 1974–75. The Rams compiled a 6–20 record under Head Coach Lynwood Robinson. The following year, the team improved to 13–13 and Robinson was named Coach of the Year by the state’s sportswriters. In just its third season of existence, VCU went 22–6 and won the AIAW Division II National Championship which was then the highest level of women’s college basketball The Rams defeated West Chester in the Championship game 76–74.

Player Beverly McAdoo was named a first-team All-American, while Diane Ford was named second-team All-American. McAdoo went on to be named Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) National Player of the Year, making her just the second player in Division II history to receive that honor.

The NCAA Years

The VCU Women’s Basketball team has a long and successful history, dating back to their days in the NCAA. From their early years as an independent team to their conference affiliations, the team has always been competitive. Here is a look at the team’s history during their time in the NCAA.

The VCU Women’s basketball team began their journey as an independent team in 1978. They would remain an independent until 1983, when they joined the Sun Belt Conference The team found success early on, winning the regular season conference title in their first year in the Sun Belt They would go on to win the conference tournament as well, earning a bid to the NCAA tournament

The VCU Women’s Basketball team would spend 10 years in the Sun Belt Conference winning regular season and conference tournament titles along the way. In 1993, they made the move to the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA). In their first year in the CAA, they won both the Regular Season and Conference Tournament titles, once again earning a bid to the NCAA Tournament

The VCU Women’s basketball team has remained in the CAA ever since, finding much success along the way. They have won 14 regular season titles and 11 conference tournament titles since joining the conference. This has led to 18 NCAA Tournament appearances, including 3 trips to the Sweet Sixteen and 1 trip to the Elite Eight. The team has also appeared in 5 WNIT tournaments, winning it all in 2005.

The VCU Women’s basketball team is one of the most successful programs in all of college basketball Their rich history is filled with accomplishments and memories that will last a lifetime.

The Post-Season

Since the early 1990s, the VCU women’s basketball team has been a force to be reckoned with in the post-season. The team has made it to the NCAA tournament 15 times, including three trips to the Elite Eight. Here’s a look at the team’s post-season history.

The Rams first made it to the NCAA Tournament in 1991, losing in the first round to Old Dominion. The following year, VCU made it to the Sweet Sixteen for the first time in program history, before falling to eventual National Champion Stanford.

In 1993, the Rams again made it to the Sweet Sixteen, this time losing to Georgia. VCU would make it back-to-back trips to the Sweet Sixteen in 1994 and 1995, before finally breaking through and making it to the Elite Eight in 1996. The Rams’ run came to an end at the hands of UConn, who would go on to win the national title that year.

VCU would make two more trips to the Elite Eight in 1999 and 2000, before finally making it back to the Final Four in 2011. The Rams’ run came to an end against Notre Dame in the national semifinals.

The post-season has been a special time for VCU women’s basketball, and with another trip to the NCAA Tournament on tap for this year, there’s no telling how far this team can go.

The Rivalries

Throughout its history, the VCU Women’s basketball team has had some intense rivals. These include:
-The University of Richmond
--George Mason University
-Old Dominion University

The Coaches

The Coaches
In its 41 years of existence, the VCU Women’s Basketball team has been led by eight different head coaches The longest-tenured coach in program history is Marianne Stanley, who led the team for 12 seasons from 1985 to 1997. During her time at VCU, Stanley compiled a 205-139 record and led the Rams to five postseason appearances, including three trips to the NCAA tournament

In recent years theVCU Women’s Basketball Team has seen a great deal of success under Coach Beth O’Boyle. In her seven seasons at the helm, O’Boyle has led the Rams to five postseason appearances, including three NCAA Tournament berths. Under O’Boyle’s leadership, the Rams have compiled a 172-85 record and have established themselves as one of the top programs in the Atlantic 10 Conference.

The VCU Women’s Basketball team is currently coached by John Rushing. Rushing was hired in May of 2018 and is in his first season as head coach of the Rams.

The Players

In its 50 years of existence, the VCU Women’s Basketball team has seen some very successful seasons. Here is a look at some of the players who have made VCU history.

Cindy Kerr: Kerr was a part of the team from 1978 to 1982 and is the school’s All-time leading scorer with 2,176 points. She is also second in steals (377) and third in assists (505).

In her senior season, Kerr helped lead the Rams to their first-ever NCAA tournament appearance. She was named the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year and was a Kodak All-American.

Karen Barefoot: Barefoot played for VCU from 1983 to 1987 and is the school’s all-time leader in assists with 704. She is also sixth in steals (321) and tenth in points (1,602).

Barefoot was named the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year in her senior season and was a four-time All-Conference selection. She helped lead the Rams to two NCAA Tournament appearances during her time at VCU.

Tracy Beatty: Beatty played for VCU from 1988 to 1992 and is the school’s all-time leader in steals with 454. She is also second in assists (592) and fourth in points (1,730).

Beatty was named Colonial Athletic Association Player of the Year in her senior season and was a four-time All-Conference selection. She led the Rams to three NCAA tournament appearances during her time at VCU.

The Fans

VCU fans are some of the most passionate and knowledgeable College Basketball fans in the country. The team has a long and storied history, dating back to its days as an independent program in the early 20th century. Today, VCU is a member of the Atlantic 10 Conference and is one of the top programs in the nation. The team’s success on the court has translated to success at the box office, as VCU games are consistently sell-outs. The team’s home court The Siegel Center, is one of the toughest places to play in College Basketball

The Legacy

Since the early days of women’s collegiate basketball, the VCU Rams have been a powerhouse program. With numerous conference championships and appearances in the NCAA Tournament the team has cemented its place among the nation’s elite. But what is the story behind this successful program?

The Rams began play in 1974 as a Division II team. They quickly made a name for themselves, winning the Division II National Championship in 1978. The team made the transition to Division I in 1985 and became a force to be reckoned with, reaching the NCAA tournament nine times in the next 14 years.

VCU has produced many Great players over the years, including Hall of Famer Nancy Lieberman. Lieberman is one of only two players in women’s Basketball History to win an Olympic gold medal an NCAA championship and to be inducted into both the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame

Today, the VCU women’s basketball team is continuing its legacy of success. Led by Head Coach Beth O’Boyle, who has been at the helm since 2014, the Rams are consistently competitive in one of the toughest conferences in the country, the Atlantic 10. With a bright future ahead, there is no telling what this team will accomplish next.

The Future

The VCU women’s Basketball Team is currently in the midst of a historic season. The Rams are off to a 20-4 start, their best ever, and are ranked No. 15 in the country. They have won 14 straight games, also a school record

This season has been a long time coming for the Rams, who have been building towards this level of success for years. Head coach Beth O’Boyle has been at the helm since 2015, and she has slowly but surely turned VCU into a force to be reckoned with.

The Rams have had some great individual players in recent years but this season they are truly firing on all cylinders as a team. Their balanced attack has been too much for most opponents to handle, and it looks like they are poised to make a run at the NCAA tournament for the first time in program history.

Whatever happens the rest of this season, one thing is clear: The VCU women’s basketball team is here to stay as one of the nation’s premier programs.