By Vivian Shipe
KNOXVILLE, TN — Before there was the great Dawn Stanley, there was C. Vivian Stringer, Black woman, winningest coach, Hall of Famer, HERstory maker.
Forty-two years ago, Stringer, would lead her all Black women’s team into the FIRST Women’s NCAA Championship game. Considered one of the greatest coaches ever, her record, impressive as 251 of her 1055 victories over the decades occurred at Cheyney State.
What team that was to lead, especially in 1982. Not only were they one of the first four teams to play in the newly formed NCAA, they were from the nations FIRST HCBU, formed in 1837 pre civil war days. They were tough and talented, their mantra: the bigger they are, the harder they fall When the seeded number 2 Lady Wolves stepped on that court in 1982 to play Louisiana Tech, they were coming off a 20 game winning streak with a 24-2 season under their belt.
Confident Black women who believed in themselves. Stringer once said, “We did not have anything, but we believed in ourselves, and we were talented, we went with what we got.”
It was one of the greatest stories never told, until now. Last Saturday evening, April 27, Cheyney State took its rightful place in the history books as the 1982 team was acknowledged with the Trailblazers of the Game Award at Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame.
Proudly they marched into the Tennessee Theater and onto the stage to a standing ovation from the crowd who had gathered to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame. Once on stage, they shared some of the struggles they overcame, including their team names being left off the marketing shirts and the announcers mispronouncing their school name over and over .
Proud Black women, still a strong sisterhood after 40 years. They are the ONLY Historical Black College or University to ever reach the NCAA Division I Final Four and play for a NCAA Championship.
They were the first, living proof of the prophetic words of Coach Stringer; walking their talk throughout adversity, proving true her words,….it’s for the generations of those who will come after you.
Say their name, the 1982 Lady Wolves of Cheney State.