Lynette Woodard facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Lynette Woodard

Woodard at the Ms. Magazine Woman of the Year Awards, 1986
Personal information
Born	(1959-08-12) August 12, 1959 (age 65) Wichita, Kansas, U.S.
High school	Wichita North (Wichita, Kansas)
Listed height	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Listed weight	160 lb (73 kg)
Career information
College	Kansas (1977–1981)
NBA Draft	1997 / Allocated
Selected by the Cleveland Rockers
Pro career	1981–1999
Career history
As player:
1997	Cleveland Rockers
1998	Detroit Shock
As coach:
2016–2017	Winthrop (assistant)
2017–2020	Winthrop
Career highlights and awards
USA Basketball Female Athlete of the Year (1983) Honda Sports Award (1981) Wade Trophy (1981) 4x Kodak All-American (1978–1981)
Medals Women's basketball Representing the  United States Olympic Games Gold 1984 Los Angeles Team competition World Cup Gold 1990 Malaysia Team competition Silver 1983 Rio de Janeiro Team competition Pan American Games Bronze 1991 Havana Team Gold 1983 Caracas Team competition Universiade Gold 1979 Mexico City Team competition Jones Cup Gold 1984 Team competition

Lynette Woodard (born August 12, 1959) is a famous American basketball player. She was also a coach for women's basketball at Winthrop University.

Lynette played college basketball for the Kansas Jayhawks. She made history as the first female player to join the famous Harlem Globetrotters. Later, at 38 years old, she played in the new professional women's basketball league, the WNBA. She is a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, which means she is recognized as one of the best basketball players ever.

Lynette Woodard's Early Life and College Career

Lynette Woodard was a basketball star from a young age. She led Wichita North High School to win state basketball championships in 1975 and 1977. In just three high school seasons, she scored an amazing 1,678 points. She also grabbed 1,030 rebounds in only 62 games.

Playing for the Kansas Jayhawks

After high school, Woodard played college basketball for the University of Kansas (KU) from 1978 to 1981. During this time, she was named an All-American four times. She scored 3,649 points in her four years at KU, averaging 26 points per game. She was the first woman at KU to have her jersey retired, which is a huge honor.

For a long time, Lynette Woodard was considered the top scorer in major college women's basketball history. This was before Caitlin Clark of Iowa passed her on February 28, 2024. The NCAA did not officially count statistics from the AIAW era, which is when Woodard played.

Lynette Woodard's Professional Basketball Journey

In 1981, Lynette Woodard began her professional career. She signed with an Italian team called UFO Schio (Vicenza). She played in their league, gaining international experience.

Making History with the Harlem Globetrotters

In 1985, Woodard made history again. She became the first woman ever to play with the Harlem Globetrotters. This was a big step for women in basketball. Interestingly, her cousin, Hubert "Geese" Ausbie, also played for the Globetrotters for many years.

Playing in Japan and the WNBA

In 1990, Woodard signed with a Japanese women's team. She played there until 1993. In 1997, she joined the Cleveland Rockers in the new Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). The next year, the Detroit Shock picked her in a special draft. Her last WNBA game was on August 19, 1998. She retired from playing basketball in 1999.

Lynette Woodard's Coaching and Hall of Fame Honors

After retiring from playing, Woodard returned to the University of Kansas. She worked as an assistant coach for the women's basketball team. In 2004, she became the interim head coach for a short time. She also served as an athletics director for the Kansas City, Missouri School District from 1992 to 1994.

Becoming a Hall of Famer

Lynette Woodard has been honored many times for her amazing career.

• In September 2004, she was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts.
• In June 2005, she was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in Knoxville, Tennessee.
• In 1989, she was inducted into the National High School Hall of Fame.
• In 1990, she was inducted into the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame.

Later Coaching Career

In 2017, Lynette Woodard became the head coach of the Winthrop Eagles women's basketball team. She coached there until 2020.

Lynette Woodard's International Play and Olympic Gold

Lynette Woodard also played for the United States national basketball team many times. She won several medals in international competitions.

Winning Gold at the Olympics

In 1984, she was a key player on the United States women's basketball team. This team won the gold medal at the Los Angeles Olympic Games. This was a huge achievement for her and the team.

World University Games and Pan American Games

• In 1979, Woodard was part of the US team that won the gold medal at the World University Games in Mexico City, Mexico.
• In 1983, she helped the US team win the gold medal at the Pan American Games in Caracas, Venezuela. She was the second-highest scorer on the team.
• In 1991, she played for the US team at the Pan American Games again. The team won the bronze medal.

FIBA World Championships

• Woodard played for the USA National team in the 1983 World Championships in Brazil. The team won the silver medal after two close games against the Soviet Union.
• In 1990, she was a member of the USA National team that won the gold medal at the World Championships in Malaysia.

Lynette Woodard's Career Statistics

Here are some of Lynette Woodard's basketball statistics from her professional and college careers.

WNBA Regular Season Statistics

College Statistics

Awards and Honors for Lynette Woodard

Lynette Woodard has received many awards for her outstanding basketball career:

• 1981: Winner of the Broderick Award (now called the Honda Sports Award) for basketball.
• 1981: Wade Trophy, another top award for college women's basketball players.
• 2015: WBCBL Professional Basketball Trailblazer Award. This award recognizes people who helped create a path for women's professional basketball.
• 2020: Brookwood Alpacas Elementary Award Kansas Stats.

See also

In Spanish: Lynette Woodard para niños