Katrina McClain facts for kids
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| Born | September 19, 1965 Charleston, South Carolina, U.S. |
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| 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 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Katrina Felicia McClain (born September 19, 1965) is a retired American basketball player. She is famous for her amazing skills on the court. Katrina played for the University of Georgia and was a key player on many USA Basketball teams, including three Olympic teams. She was so good that she was inducted into both the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Contents
Early Years in Basketball
Katrina McClain grew up in Charleston, South Carolina. She went to St. Andrews High School. In her final year, she helped her team achieve a perfect 30–0 record. They even won a state championship!
College Basketball Career
Katrina started her college career at the University of Georgia. She was an All-American player twice, in 1986 and 1987. She earned a varsity letter every year she played. In her first year, she was named to the Freshman All-American team. She was also the first player ever to be named 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 (Southeastern Conference) 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, meaning they finished second in the country.
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)
Throughout her four years, she made an amazing 62% of her field goal attempts. This is still a school record! In NCAA Tournament games, she holds the record for the best field goal shooting percentage. She made 60 out of 84 shots in 12 games.
The Georgia team had an impressive record of 116 wins and only 15 losses with Katrina on the team. She is second on Georgia's all-time list for points (2,195) and rebounds (1,193). Her jersey number (#32) was retired, a special honor given to only three Lady Bulldogs players.
Playing for Team USA Basketball
Katrina McClain was a member of eleven different USA basketball teams. She holds several records in international competitions. For example, she has 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
As a sophomore at Georgia, Katrina was chosen to play for the US team at the 1985 World University Games in Kobe, Japan. She was the top scorer in the first three games. She scored 38 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in the first game! She led the team in scoring (17 points per game), rebounding (almost 8 per game), and blocks. The team finished with a 5–1 record, winning the silver medal after a close game against the USSR.
Goodwill Games 1986
Katrina also played for the US at the first-ever Goodwill Games in Moscow in 1986. The team won their first games easily. They then faced the Soviet Union in the final. The Soviet team was very strong, with a record of 152 wins and only 2 losses in major international games. But the USA team played incredibly well, winning 83–60 and earning the gold medal! Katrina was the second-highest scorer in the final game with 17 points.
World Championship 1986
A month after the Goodwill Games, Katrina played for the US National team at the 1986 World Championship, also in Moscow. The USA team was even more dominant this time. They won their early games easily. In the final, they faced the Soviet team again. The USA started strong and won the gold medal with a score of 108–88. Katrina was one of the stars, scoring 19 points against Czechoslovakia and 21 points against Hungary.
Pan American Games 1987
Katrina was part of the USA team at the 1987 Pan American Games in Indianapolis, Indiana. The team had some tough games, including a close win against Cuba. In the final, they played Brazil again. Katrina scored 30 points, matching Brazil's top scorer. This helped the USA win the gold medal with a 111–87 victory. Katrina was the leading scorer (17.8 points) and rebounder (10 rebounds) for the team.
Olympics 1988
Katrina represented the US at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, Korea. The team had a close first game but went on to beat Yugoslavia and China. They then faced the USSR, a team they had never beaten in the Olympics before. But this time, the USA won 102–88! Katrina scored 26 points in that game. In the gold medal game, the USA beat Yugoslavia 77–70. Katrina was the leading scorer and rebounder for the team throughout the Olympics.
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 had a tough game against Cuba but came back to win. In the title match, Katrina was the leading scorer with 23 points and had nine rebounds. This helped the USA team win another 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 their winning streak, even in some close 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 again, beating the Soviet team 82–70. 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 but faced a tough game against Brazil, losing by three points. They later lost to the host Cuba team in the semi-finals. The USA team then won the bronze medal by beating Canada. Katrina was the team's leading rebounder and second-leading scorer.
Olympics 1992
Katrina earned a spot on the team for the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. The team started strong, scoring over 100 points in their first two games. They had a tough game against the Unified team (former Soviet Union countries) and lost. However, the USA team 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 in Australia. She was the leading scorer with 20 points in the first game. The USA team won their first six games. In the semi-final against Brazil, Katrina had an amazing game with 29 points and 19 rebounds! But Brazil won a very close game. The USA team then beat Australia to win the bronze medal. Katrina was the top scorer and rebounder for the USA team in the tournament.
Olympics 1996
Katrina's last event with the USA team was the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia. The USA team won all their games easily in the early rounds. In the final, the USA team faced Brazil, a team that had beaten them before. But this time, playing in front of a huge home crowd, the USA team started very strong. They won the gold medal with a score of 111–87! Katrina was the second-leading scorer and the team's leading rebounder in this historic victory.
Professional Basketball Career
After her college and USA Basketball career, Katrina McClain played professionally in other countries for several years. She played in Japan, Italy, Spain, and Turkey. She finished her professional career with the Atlanta Glory in the American Basketball League (ABL). She was honored as an ABL All-Star in 1998.
Legacy and Impact
To honor her amazing career, the NCAA created the annual Katrina McClain Award. This award recognizes the best power forward in women's NCAA Division I college basketball each year.
Awards and Honors
Katrina McClain has received many awards and honors for her incredible basketball 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 University of Georgia Circle of Honor
- 2005—Inducted into Georgia Sports Hall of Fame
- 2006—Inducted into Women's Basketball Hall of Fame
- 2006—Inducted into South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame
- 2010—Inducted into National High School Hall of Fame
- 2012—Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
See also
In Spanish: Katrina McClain para niños
