Women’s History (as of 2015)
1987: First ever women exhibition game on national stage was on March 28, 1987 between Pierce Valley and Phoenix. Phoenix won the game 28-25.
1988: First Women’s Invitational Tournament was held in Boston on April 7-9, 1988. Three teams participated: Pierce Valley, Metro Washington (MWAD) and Boston. Pierce Valley was named champions. Angela Kuehn was voted MVP.
1989: Second Women’s Invitational Tournament was held in Miami on March 30-April 1, 1989. 8 Women teams participated: Tucson, Erie, Miami, New England, Pierce Valley, Capital City, MWAD and Ebony. Tucson captured the title defeating Miami, 57-46. Barbara Hyde was voted MVP.
1990: Third Women’s Invitational Tournament was held in Phoenix. 8 Women teams participated: Tucson, SWAAD All-Stars, Phoenix, MAAD All-Stars, East Bay, Paradise Jets, Lobos, and NWAAD All-Stars. MAAD All-Stars won the championship over NWAAD All-Stars 56-43. Janet Birrenkott was voted MVP.
1991: First OFFICIAL Women Tournament was held in Atlantic City, New Jersey on April 3-5, 1991. Six women teams participated: Metro Washington Association of the Deaf (MWAD), Sioux Falls, Tucson, Oakland, Providence, and Trenton. Metro Washington Association of the Deaf Women team won first ever AAAD Women basketball championship defeating Sioux Falls, South Dakota, 95-40.
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- Debby Sampson was first woman MVP.
- Emil Rassofsky was first Coach of woman tournament.
More facts….
- Tucson & Arizona Black Widows won 11 titles!
- Ida Dotson was voted MVP 6 times!
- Janel Birrenkott and Laura Edwards played in 13 national tournaments.
- Janel Birrenkott made the most points in women history, 757 points.
- Janel Birrenkott holds a record for most points scored in a game with 52 points.
- Janice Logan was first woman to be inducted in AAAD/USADB Hall of Fame.
- Shirley Platt was first woman commissioner (2009).
- Arizona Black Widows hold a record of winning 4 consecutive championships. (2006-2009)
- Ronda Johnson (MinnePaul) leads with a career high 57 3-pointers.
- Nada Thomas (Houston Thunders) leads with a career high 341 rebounds
Interesting tidbits:
* In 1988, AAAD sent a team of 8 women with Head Coach Carolyn Wuertz to Europe to give basketball clinics for female players in Sweden, France and Spain.
The team members:
Angela Kuehn, Barbara Hyde, Laura Edwards, Marsha Wetzel, Stacia Barron, Sara Wummer, JoAnn O’Neill and Touria Ouahid. Touria was one of the young participants from Sweden!
| Most Women Titles | Most Women MVPs | |||
| Tucson & Arizona | 11 | Ida Dotson | 6 | |
| MWAD, MCSD & NOVA | 5 | Touria Boren-Quahid | 3 | |
| MinnePaul | 3 | Barb Hyde | 2 | |
| WSAD (Chicago) | 2 | Janel Birrenkott | 2 | |
| Wichita | 1 | Jill Smithley | 1 | |
| Little Rock | 1 | Gwen Long | 1 | |
| Showstoppers | 1 | Sarah Faber | 1 | |
| Ronda Jo Miller | 1 | |||
| Shanda Johnson | 1 | |||
| Kim Cameron | 1 | |||
| Amanda Huser | 1 | |||
| Easter Faafiti | 1 | |||
| Paula Hamblin | 1 | |||
| Debby Sampson | 1 | |||
In April 2015, Women’s Program celebrated its 25th Anniversary in Oakland. USADB inducted 8 women and 1 man into USADB Hall of Fame.