NationMaster - Encyclopedia: National Women's Basketball League

The National Women's Basketball League or NWBL is an organization governing basketball leagues for women in the United States. The league was originally founded in 1997 and began play in the Fall of that year. Currently the league has its own season during the off-season of the WNBA. During the off-season, some WNBA players play in the NWBL, while some choose to play overseas. Image File history File links National_Women's_Basketball_League. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... See also: 1996 in sports, other events of 1997, 1998 in sports and the list of years in sports. // Auto Racing Stock car racing: Jeff Gordon is the youngest driver ever to win the Daytona 500 on February 16 NASCAR Championship - Jeff Gordon Indy Racing League - Indianapolis 500 - Arie Luyendyk... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... The Colorado Chill are a womens professional basketball team in the National Womens Basketball League (NWBL). ... Year 1997 (MCMXCVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar). ... The Womens National Basketball Association is an organization governing a professional basketball league for women in the United States. ...

1 History
2 NWBL Pro League teams
3 References
4 See also
5 External links

History

In contrast to the ABL and the WNBA before it, the NWBL was originally founded to govern a competitive amateur league for women. The NWBL was founded in 1997, in the shadow of both the ABL and the WNBA. The league is considered to be the brainchild of Patrick Alexander and Kevin Szotkowski, who saw the rapid growth of women's athletics of the time and decided to go into the business of promoting women athletes. With the assistance of former college basketball players and NWBL co-founders Jolynn Schneider and Jeanine Michealsen, Alexander and Szotkowski launched an aggressive marketing campaign in the Fall of 1997 to recruit players and teams. The American Basketball League of 1996 was an attempt to establish an independent professional basketball league for women in the United States. ... Year 1997 (MCMXCVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar). ...

Although the recruitment campaign was not without its problems (including the death of Nick Johnson, co-founder of the marketing firm behind the league), the NWBL enrolled four teams by November and held its first championship series in December 1997. The first four teams enrolled were the San Diego Waves (considered to be the first NWBL team), the Columbus Lady Blazers, the Washington DC Defenders and the Long Beach Lightning. By the end of 2000, the league grew to encompass 600 players in 15 states and 26 cities. 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The 2001 season was the first season for the NWBL Pro League, which now serves as the primary organization for the NWBL. The first four teams in the newly formed league were the Atlanta Justice, the Birmingham Power, the Mobile Majesty and the Kansas City Legacy. The league managed to finish its first season in April 2001 when the Atlanta Justice won the 1st NWBL Pro Cup. Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ... The Atlanta Justice were one of the original franchises of the National Womens Basketball League (NWBL). ... The Birmingham Power was one of the original franchises of the National Womens Basketball League (NWBL). ... The Mobile Majesty were one of the original franchises of the National Womens Basketball League (NWBL). ... The San Francisco Legacy are well-named, being the last original franchise of the National Womens Basketball League (NWBL). ...

Since 2001, the NWBL Pro League has played host to such WNBA stars as Sheryl Swoopes, Sue Bird, Tamika Catchings and Becky Hammon. Sheryl Denise Swoopes (born March 25, 1971) is an American professional basketball player, currently playing for the Houston Comets in the Womens National Basketball Association (WNBA). ... Suzanne Brigit Bird (born October 16, 1980) is a professional womens basketball player. ... Tamika Catchings (born on July 21, 1979) is an American Womens National Basketball Association player who plays for the Indiana Fever. ... Rebecca Lynn Hammon (born March 11, 1977), better known as Becky Hammon is a Womens National Basketball Association player who plays for the New York Liberty. ...

NWBL Pro League teams

Current teams

Past teams

Atlanta Justice
Birmingham Power
Chicago Blaze
Colorado Chill
Dallas Fury (became San Francisco Legacy)
Grand Rapids Blizzard
Houston Stealth
Iowa Cornettes
Kansas City Legacy (became Tennessee Fury)
Lubbock Hawks
Mobile Majesty
San Francisco Legacy
San Diego Siege
San Jose Spiders
Springfield Spirit
Tennessee Fury (became Dallas Fury)

The Atlanta Justice were one of the original franchises of the National Womens Basketball League (NWBL). ... The Birmingham Power was one of the original franchises of the National Womens Basketball League (NWBL). ... The Chicago Blaze were a womens professional basketball team in the National Womens Basketball League (NWBL). ... The Colorado Chill are a womens professional basketball team in the National Womens Basketball League (NWBL). ... The San Francisco Legacy are well-named, being the last original franchise of the National Womens Basketball League (NWBL). ... The San Francisco Legacy are well-named, being the last original franchise of the National Womens Basketball League (NWBL). ... The Grand Rapids Blizzard were a womens professional basketball team in the National Womens Basketball League (NWBL). ... The Houston Stealth were a womens professional basketball team in the National Womens Basketball League (NWBL). ... The San Francisco Legacy are well-named, being the last original franchise of the National Womens Basketball League (NWBL). ... The San Francisco Legacy are well-named, being the last original franchise of the National Womens Basketball League (NWBL). ... The Lubbock Hawks were a womens professional basketball team in the National Womens Basketball League (NWBL). ... The Mobile Majesty were one of the original franchises of the National Womens Basketball League (NWBL). ... The San Francisco Legacy are well-named, being the last original franchise of the National Womens Basketball League (NWBL). ... The San Diego Siege are a womens professional basketball team in the National Womens Basketball League (NWBL). ... The San Jose Spiders are a womens professional basketball team in the National Womens Basketball League (NWBL). ... The Springfield Spirit were a womens professional basketball team in the National Womens Basketball League (NWBL). ... The San Francisco Legacy are well-named, being the last original franchise of the National Womens Basketball League (NWBL). ... The San Francisco Legacy are well-named, being the last original franchise of the National Womens Basketball League (NWBL). ...

Champions

2001 Atlanta Justice 90-75 Birmingham Power
2002 Houston Stealth 68-59 Chicago Blaze
2003 Houston Stealth 95-76 Tennessee Fury
2004 Dallas Fury 73-69 Colorado Chill
2005 Colorado Chill 77-70 Dallas Fury
2006 Colorado Chill 78-71 San Diego Siege

References

History of the NWBL. Retrieved Feb 21 2005.

External links

Official website
Official NWBL Stats
NWBL Sports Almanac

Categories: Basketball leagues | Women's basketball | Basketball in the United States

COMMENTARY

Share your thoughts, questions and commentary here

Want to know more?
Search encyclopedia, statistics and forums:

Feeds | Contact
The Wikipedia article included on this page is licensed under the GFDL.
Images may be subject to relevant owners' copyright.
All other elements are (c) copyright NationMaster.com 2003-5. All Rights Reserved.
Usage implies agreement with terms.

Contents

History GA_googleFillSlot("encyclopedia_square");