Katrina McClain facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Katrina McClain

McClain in 1995
Personal information
Born	(1965-09-19) September 19, 1965 (age 59) Charleston, South Carolina, U.S.
High school	St. Andrews (Charleston, South Carolina)
Listed height	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Listed weight	178 lb (81 kg)
Career information
College	Georgia
Pro career	1983–1987
Career highlights and awards
Honda Sports Award (1986) WBCA Player of the Year (1987) 2× Kodak All-American (1986, 1987) National Player of the Year (1987) 2× USA Basketball Female Athlete of the Year (1988, 1992) SEC Tournament MVP (1986) SEC Freshman of the Year (1984)
Medals Women's basketball Representing the  United States Olympic Games Gold 1988 Seoul Team competition Gold 1996 Atlanta Team competition Bronze 1992 Barcelona Team competition FIBA World Championship Gold 1986 Soviet Union Team competition Gold 1990 Malaysia Team competition Bronze 1994 Australia Team competition Pan American Games Bronze 1991 Havana Team Gold 1987 Indianapolis Team World University Games Gold 1985 Kobe Team competition

Katrina Felicia McClain, born on September 19, 1965, is a famous retired American basketball player. She played for the University of Georgia and was a key player on many USA Basketball teams. She even played in three Olympic Games! Katrina is so good, she's in both the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Early Life and High School Success

Katrina McClain grew up in Charleston, South Carolina. She went to St. Andrews High School. In her final year, she helped her team achieve an amazing 30–0 record. They even won a state championship!

College Basketball Journey

Katrina started her college career at the University of Georgia. She was an All-American player twice, in 1986 and 1987. She earned varsity letters all four years she played. As a freshman, she was named to the Freshman All-American team. She was also the very first SEC Freshman of the Year.

In 1987, Katrina became the National Player of the Year. While she was at Georgia, her team won the SEC championship twice. The team also made it to the NCAA Tournament every year. They reached the Sweet Sixteen twice and the Elite Eight once. In 1985, they were the national runner-up, almost winning the whole tournament!

Katrina still holds several single-season records at Georgia:

• Most points scored (796)
• Highest points per game (24.9)
• Most field goals made (310)
• Most free throws made (176)
• Most free throws attempted (240)

Over her four years, she made 62% of her field goal attempts. This is still a school record! In NCAA Tournament games, she has the best field goal shooting percentage. She made 60 out of 84 shots in 12 games. The Georgia team had an incredible record of 116 wins and only 15 losses with Katrina on the team.

She is second on Georgia's all-time list for points with 2,195 (17.6 points per game). She also has 1,193 rebounds (9.5 per game). Her jersey number, 32, was retired. This is a huge honor, as only three Lady Bulldogs players have received it.

Playing for Team USA

Katrina McClain was a member of eleven different USA basketball teams. She holds several records in international competitions. These include the USA Olympic record for rebounds (66) in one competition. She also holds the USA Goodwill Games record for rebounds (54).

World University Games 1985

In 1985, while still in college, Katrina played for the US at the World University Games in Kobe, Japan. She was the top scorer in the first three games. In one game against North Korea, she scored 38 points and grabbed 13 rebounds. She led the team in scoring (17 points per game), rebounding (almost 8 per game), and blocks (eleven). The team finished with a 5–1 record. They lost to the USSR in the final game, earning a silver medal.

Goodwill Games 1986

Katrina was chosen for the first-ever Goodwill Games in Moscow in July 1986. The US team won their first games easily. They then faced Czechoslovakia in a closer match, winning 78–70. Katrina scored 12 points in that game. The final was against the Soviet Union, who had a dominant record. The US team won the gold medal with a score of 83–60. Katrina was the second-highest scorer in the final with 17 points.

World Championship 1986

Katrina also played for the US National team at the 1986 World Championship in Moscow. The US team was even more dominant this time. Katrina was a star, scoring 19 points against Czechoslovakia and 21 points against Hungary. The final game was against the Soviet team. The US team won the gold medal with a score of 108–88. Katrina was one of five players who scored double-digits in that game.

Pan American Games 1987

Katrina was part of the USA team at the 1987 Pan American Games in Indianapolis. The US team had some close games, including against Brazil and Cuba. In the final, it was a rematch with Brazil. Katrina scored 30 points, matching Brazil's top player. The USA won gold with a 111–87 victory. Katrina was the leading scorer (17.8 points) and rebounder (10) for the US team.

Olympics 1988: Gold Medal Glory

Katrina represented the US at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, Korea. The US team had a tough opening game against Czechoslovakia but won 87–81. Katrina scored 19 points. They went on to beat Yugoslavia and China. Against China, Katrina had 27 points and 13 rebounds. The US team then beat the USSR 102–88, a team they had never beaten in the Olympics before. The gold medal game was against Yugoslavia, which the US won 77–70. Katrina was the leading scorer and rebounder for the team.

World Championship 1990

Katrina continued to play for the USA National team at the 1990 World Championships in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The team won their early games easily. They faced Cuba, who had beaten them in practice games, but the US won 87–78. In the final match, Katrina was the leading scorer with 23 points. She also had nine rebounds. This helped the USA team win the gold medal.

Goodwill Games 1990

The 1990 Goodwill Games were held in Seattle, Washington. The USA team had won 36 games in a row in major international competitions. They continued this streak at the Goodwill Games. Katrina was the star in a game against the Soviet team, scoring 23 points and grabbing 16 rebounds. The USA team won the gold medal with an 82–70 win over the Soviet team. Katrina led the team in rebounds and was second in scoring.

Pan American Games 1991

Katrina was on the USA team for the 1991 Pan American Games in Havana, Cuba. The team started strong against Canada. They then had a close game against Brazil, losing by three points. After beating Argentina, they faced host Cuba and won. However, Cuba won the rematch in the semi-finals. The USA team then beat Canada for the bronze medal. Katrina was the team's leading rebounder and second leading scorer.

Olympics 1992: Bronze Medal Win

Katrina earned a spot on the team for the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. The team started strong, scoring 111 points against Czechoslovakia. They scored even more, 114 points, against host Spain. They also beat China. However, they lost a close game to the Unified team. The USA team then beat Cuba 88–74 to win the bronze medal. Katrina was excellent at rebounding, leading the team with 9.6 rebounds per game.

World Championship 1994

Katrina continued to play for the USA team at the 1994 World Championships. The US team won their first six games. In the semi-final against Brazil, Katrina had an amazing game with 29 points and 19 rebounds. However, Brazil won the game. The USA team then beat Australia 100–95 to win the bronze medal. Katrina led the US team in scoring (14.6 points per game) and rebounding (11.1 per game).

Olympics 1996: Another Gold Medal

Katrina's last event with the USA team was the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia. The USA team won all their early games by large margins. In the final, the USA team faced Brazil, a team that had beaten them before. Playing in front of a huge home crowd, the USA team started very strong. They won the gold medal 111–87. Katrina was the second leading scorer and the team's leading rebounder.

Professional Basketball Career

After her amazing college and USA Basketball career, Katrina McClain played professionally in other countries for several years. She finished her professional career with the Atlanta Glory in the American Basketball League (ABL). She was honored as a member of the 1998 ABL All-Star Game Eastern Conference Team.

Here are some of the teams she played for:

• 1989–1991: Kyoto Petroleum (Japan)
• 1992: Sidis Ancona (Italy)
• 1993–1995: Valencia (Spain)
• 1995–1996: Galatasaray (Turkey)

Katrina McClain's Legacy

The NCAA created the annual Katrina McClain Award in her honor. This award recognizes the best power forward in women's NCAA Division I college basketball.

Awards and Honors

Katrina McClain has received many awards and honors throughout her career:

• 1986: Consensus All-America team
• 1987: Consensus All-America team
• 1987: National Player of the Year
• 1987: Winner of the Honda Sports Award for basketball
• 1987: WBCA Player of the Year
• 1988: USA Basketball's Female Athlete of the Year
• 1992: USA Basketball's Female Athlete of the Year
• 1997: Inducted into the University of Georgia Circle of Honor
• 2005: Inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame
• 2006: Inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame
• 2006: Inducted into the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame
• 2010: Inducted into the National High School Hall of Fame
• 2012: Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame

See also

In Spanish: Katrina McClain para niños