Anne Theresa Donovan (November 1, 1961 – June 13, 2018) was an American women's basketball player and coach. From 2013 to 2015, she was the head coach of the
Connecticut Sun
The Connecticut Sun are an American professional basketball team based in Uncasville, Connecticut that competes in the Eastern Conference (WNBA), Eastern Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA).
The team was established ...
.
In her playing career, Donovan won a national championship with
Old Dominion University
Old Dominion University (Old Dominion or ODU) is a public research university in Norfolk, Virginia. It was established in 1930 as the Norfolk Division of the College of William & Mary and is now one of the largest universities in Virginia with ...
, won two Olympic gold medals, and went to three Final Fours overall. She was enshrined in the
Basketball Hall of Fame
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 1000 Hall of Fame Avenue in Springfield, Massachusetts. It serves as basketball's most complete library, in addition to promoting and pre ...
in 1995, and became a member of the
FIBA Hall of Fame
The FIBA Hall of Fame, or FIBA Basketball Hall of Fame, honors players, coaches, teams, referees, and administrators who have greatly contributed to international competitive basketball. It was established by FIBA, in 1991. It includes the " Samar ...
in 2015. Donovan was inducted in the inaugural class at the
Women's Basketball Hall of Fame
The Women's Basketball Hall of Fame honors those who have contributed to the sport of women's basketball. The Hall of Fame opened in 1999 in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA. It is the only facility of its kind dedicated to all levels of women's bask ...
in 1999.
As a professional basketball coach, she guided the
Seattle Storm
The Seattle Storm are an American professional basketball team based in Seattle. The Storm competes in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) as a member club of the league's Western Conference. The team was founded by Ginger Ackerl ...
to their first title in 2004, becoming the first woman to coach a
WNBA Championship
The WNBA Finals are the championship series of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and the conclusion of the league's postseason each fall. The series was named the WNBA Championship until 2002. Starting 2016 Verizon is the officia ...
team (as well as the youngest person to coach a WNBA champion, at age 42). She is the only person to have both played for a national women's college title and coached a team to a professional title.
After coaching the
Indiana Fever
The Indiana Fever are an American professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). The team was founded before the 2000 season began. The team is owned ...
and the
Charlotte Sting
The Charlotte Sting were a Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) team based in Charlotte, North Carolina, one of the league's eight original teams. The team folded on January 3, 2007.
The Sting was originally the sister organization of ...
earlier in her career, Donovan joined the
New York Liberty
The New York Liberty are an American professional basketball team based in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The Liberty compete in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) as part of the league's Eastern Conference. The team was f ...
as an assistant coach in the spring of 2009, then took over as interim head coach of the Liberty on July 31, 2009. She then went back to college to Seton Hall for two seasons before resigning to take the Connecticut Sun head coaching job for two seasons. Donovan was also the coach of the Olympic gold medal-winning 2008 United States Women's Basketball team.
High school
Donovan attended
Paramus Catholic High School
Paramus Catholic High School is a co-educational Roman Catholic high school located in Paramus in Bergen County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The school, founded in 1965, under Archbishop Thomas A. Boland, and Superintendent of Schools, Mon ...
in
Paramus, New Jersey
Paramus ( Waggoner, Walter H ''The New York Times'', February 16, 1966. Accessed October 16, 2018. "Paramus – pronounced puh-RAHM-us, with the accent on the second syllable – may have taken its name from 'perremus' or 'perymus,' Indian for ...
. At 6'6", Donovan led her high school team to consecutive undefeated seasons, including two state championships. She averaged 25 points per game and 17 rebounds her senior year.
College
Donovan, at 6'8", was the most recruited female player in the nation going into college.
Two years earlier, Anne's sister Mary received only a handful of offers before going to Penn State. In 1979, Anne received offers from more than 250 schools, including a recruiting pitch from Penn State's
Joe Paterno
Joseph Vincent Paterno (; December 21, 1926 – January 22, 2012), sometimes referred to as JoePa, was an American college football player, athletic director, and coach. He was the head coach of the Penn State Nittany Lions football, Penn ...
.
Despite the personal plea, she chose to follow
Nancy Lieberman
Nancy Elizabeth Lieberman (born July 1, 1958), nicknamed "Lady Magic", is an American former professional basketball player and coach in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) who is currently a broadcaster for the Oklahoma City Thun ...
to ODU. At
Old Dominion University
Old Dominion University (Old Dominion or ODU) is a public research university in Norfolk, Virginia. It was established in 1930 as the Norfolk Division of the College of William & Mary and is now one of the largest universities in Virginia with ...
(ODU), the center led the Lady Monarchs to the 1979–80
Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women
The Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) was founded in 1971 to govern collegiate women's athletics in the United States and to administer national championships (see AIAW Champions). It evolved out of the Commission on Interc ...
basketball championship. She was the first female
Naismith College Player of the Year
The Naismith College Player of the Year is an annual basketball award given by the Atlanta Tipoff Club to the top men's and women's collegiate basketball players. It is named in honor of Dr. James Naismith, the inventor of basketball.
History an ...
in 1983.
Donovan also won the 1983
Honda Sports Award
The Honda Sports Award is an annual award in the United States, given to the best collegiate female athlete in each of twelve sports. There are four nominees for each sport, and the twelve winners of the Honda Sports Award are automatically in th ...
and
WBCA Player of the Year The Women's Basketball Coaches Association Player of the Year award is presented annually to the best women's college basketball players in NCAA Division II and Division III as voted by the WBCA membership. From 1983 to 2000, the award was also give ...
award for basketball. She set ODU career marks for points (2,719),
rebounds
'Rebound' is a term used in sports to describe the ball (or puck or other object of play) becoming available for possession by either opponent after an attempt to put the ball or puck into the goal has been unsuccessful. Rebounds are generally ...
(1,976), and blocked shots (801), and seasonal marks for most games played (38), most minutes played (1,159), most field goals (377), and field goal percentage (.640). She averaged a
double-double
In basketball, a double-double is a single-game performance in which a player accumulates ten or more in two of the following five statistical categories: points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocked shots. The first "double" in the term ...
for her entire career, with 20 points and 14½ rebounds per game. Donovan's 50 points in a single game against
Norfolk State
Norfolk State University (NSU) is a public historically black university in Norfolk, Virginia. It is a member of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund and Virginia High-Tech Partnership.
History
The institution was founded on September 18, 1935 ...
on December 11, 1980, is a school record, while her 801 career blocked shots is best in NCAA history.
At ODU, Donovan helped the Lady Monarchs win the 1980
AIAW
The Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) was founded in 1971 to govern collegiate women's athletics in the United States and to administer national championships (see AIAW Champions). It evolved out of the Commission on Interc ...
national title (their second straight) with a 37–1 record. She had ten blocks and seventeen rebounds in their win over Tennessee.
In 1981, ODU finished third in the AIAW National Tournament, having compiled a 28–7 record.
The first two NCAA Women's Final Fours (1982 and 1983) were hosted by ODU at
Scope
Scope or scopes may refer to:
People with the surname
* Jamie Scope (born 1986), English footballer
* John T. Scopes (1900–1970), central figure in the Scopes Trial regarding the teaching of evolution
Arts, media, and entertainment
* Cinem ...
in Norfolk, Va. In 1982, Old Dominion (28–7) lost to Kansas St. in the
East Regional semifinals. In Donovan's senior year, the Lady Monarchs (29–6) advanced to the
1983 Final Four in their hometown, but lost 71–55 in the national semifinals to rival Louisiana Tech.
Old Dominion University statistics
Source
Professional career
As there were few professional opportunities for women basketball players in the U.S., Donovan played pro ball for
Chanson V-Magic
The Chanson V-Magic are a basketball team based in Shizuoka, Shizuoka, playing in the Women's Japan Basketball League. Notable players
*Anne Donovan
* Maki Eguchi
* Saori Fujiyoshi
* Ha Eun-ju
* Aki Ichijō
* Sachiko Ishikawa
*Tammy Jackson
* Hiroe ...
in
Shizuoka, Japan
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshu. Shizuoka Prefecture has a population of 3,637,998 and has a geographic area of . Shizuoka Prefecture borders Kanagawa Prefecture to the east, Yamanashi Prefecture to the northeast ...
and
Modena, Italy
Modena (, , ; egl, label=Emilian language#Dialects, Modenese, Mòdna ; ett, Mutna; la, Mutina) is a city and ''comune'' (municipality) on the south side of the Po Valley, in the Province of Modena in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern I ...
from 1984 to 1989.
Coaching career
Upon her retirement as a player, she became an assistant coach at ODU from 1989 to 1995, then head coach at
East Carolina University
East Carolina University (ECU) is a public university, public research university in Greenville, North Carolina. It is the fourth largest university in North Carolina.
Founded on March 8, 1907, as a Normal school, teacher training school, East ...
from 1995 to 1998, reaching the Colonial Athletic Association finals against her alma mater, Old Dominion.
Her coaching career moved to the professional ranks via a brief stint with the
American Basketball League's
Philadelphia Rage
The Philadelphia Rage, were one of the eight original franchises of the American Basketball League (ABL), a women's professional basketball league. The franchise existed for just two-and-a-half seasons—1996-97 in Richmond, Virginia, 1997–98 ...
in 1997–98.
As the ABL folded, she joined the rival WNBA as an assistant coach for the expansion
Indiana Fever
The Indiana Fever are an American professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). The team was founded before the 2000 season began. The team is owned ...
. With coach
Nell Fortner
Nell Fortner (born March 3, 1959) is the current women's college basketball coach at Georgia Tech. She is most well known for leading the 2000 Olympics team to a gold medal. She has received numerous awards including the 1997 National Coach of t ...
leading the U.S. Olympic team, Donovan served as interim head coach for the Fever for the 2000 season. She then led the
Charlotte Sting
The Charlotte Sting were a Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) team based in Charlotte, North Carolina, one of the league's eight original teams. The team folded on January 3, 2007.
The Sting was originally the sister organization of ...
to the
WNBA Finals
The WNBA Finals are the championship series of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and the conclusion of the league's postseason each fall. The series was named the WNBA Championship until 2002. Starting 2016 Verizon is the officia ...
in 2001, losing to the
Los Angeles Sparks
The Los Angeles Sparks (LA Sparks) are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Sparks compete in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) as a member club of the league's Western Conference. The team was foun ...
. In 2002, she led the Sting to an 18–14 record, losing to the
Washington Mystics
The Washington Mystics are an American professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C. The Mystics compete in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) as a member club of the league's Eastern Conference. The team was founded pri ...
in the first round of playoffs.
Donovan was inducted to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1995, and as part of the inaugural class of the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 1999.
In 2003, Donovan was hired as the second head coach of the
Seattle Storm
The Seattle Storm are an American professional basketball team based in Seattle. The Storm competes in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) as a member club of the league's Western Conference. The team was founded by Ginger Ackerl ...
, inheriting a team with two number one draft picks from 2001 and 2002, the Australian
Lauren Jackson
Lauren Elizabeth Jackson (born 11 May 1981) is an Australian professional basketball player. The daughter of two national basketball team players, Jackson was awarded a scholarship to the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) in 1997, when she ...
and
University of Connecticut
The University of Connecticut (UConn) is a public land-grant research university in Storrs, Connecticut, a village in the town of Mansfield. The primary 4,400-acre (17.8 km2) campus is in Storrs, approximately a half hour's drive from Hart ...
star
Sue Bird
Suzanne Brigit Bird (born October 16, 1980) is an American former professional basketball player who played her entire career with the Seattle Storm of the Women's National Basketball Association ( WNBA) Bird was drafted by the Storm first over ...
. In her first year, Donovan's team narrowly missed the playoffs, but in 2004, after Donovan became director of player personnel and added
Betty Lennox
Betty Bernice Lennox (born December 4, 1976) is an American retired professional basketball player. She played for the Minnesota Lynx, Miami Sol, Cleveland Rockers, Seattle Storm, Atlanta Dream, Los Angeles Sparks and Tulsa Shock in the Women' ...
, the Storm earned the city of
Seattle
Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...
its first national championship in 25 years.
In the 2005 season, in which Donovan became the first female coach to win 100 games, the Storm made the playoffs but lost in the first round. At season's end, Donovan's contract was extended to keep her in Seattle for several years.
With her 120th victory on August 6, 2006, she became the coach with the third-most WNBA victories, passing former
Los Angeles Sparks
The Los Angeles Sparks (LA Sparks) are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Sparks compete in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) as a member club of the league's Western Conference. The team was foun ...
coach
Michael Cooper
Michael Jerome Cooper (born April 15, 1956) is an American basketball coach and former player who is the boys varsity coach at Culver City High School. He played for the Los Angeles Lakers in the National Basketball Association (NBA), winning ...
. She trails only
Van Chancellor
Van Winston Chancellor (born September 27, 1943) is a former college and professional basketball coach. He coached University of Mississippi women's basketball, Louisiana State University women's basketball, and the professional Houston Comet ...
and
Richie Adubato
Richard Adam Adubato''The Sporting News: 1992-93 Official NBA Register''. St. Louis, Missouri: The Sporting News Publishing Co. 1992. (born November 23, 1937) is a former basketball coach in the National Basketball Association. He has served as ...
in victories.
On November 30, 2007, Donovan resigned from her position of head coach of the
Seattle Storm
The Seattle Storm are an American professional basketball team based in Seattle. The Storm competes in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) as a member club of the league's Western Conference. The team was founded by Ginger Ackerl ...
.
On April 28, 2009, Donovan was appointed as an assistant coach for the
New York Liberty
The New York Liberty are an American professional basketball team based in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The Liberty compete in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) as part of the league's Eastern Conference. The team was f ...
. She assumed the position of interim head coach of the Liberty on July 31, 2009, replacing former head coach
Pat Coyle.
On March 31, 2010, she accepted the women's basketball head coaching position at
Seton Hall University
Seton Hall University (SHU) is a private Catholic research university in South Orange, New Jersey. Founded in 1856 by then-Bishop James Roosevelt Bayley and named after his aunt, Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, Seton Hall is the oldest diocesan un ...
on March 29, 2010, although she completed the 2010 season with the Liberty.
On November 6, 2010, Donovan recorded her first win as the head coach of Seton Hall's women's team as the Pirates defeated the
Temple Owls
The Temple Owls are the athletic teams that represent Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The current athletic director is Arthur Johnson.
The owl has been the symbol and mascot for Temple University since its founding in the 18 ...
by a score of 72–59 at
Walsh Gymnasium
Walsh Gymnasium is a multi-purpose arena in South Orange, New Jersey on the campus of Seton Hall University. The arena opened in 1941 and can seat 1,316 people. It was home to the Seton Hall Pirates men's basketball team before they moved to the ...
.
She resigned the coaching job at Seton Hall in January 2013 and accepted a position with the WNBA's Connecticut Sun, where she spent three seasons until she resigned as head coach on October 1, 2015.
USA Basketball as player
Donovan was named to the team representing the US at the inaugural
William Jones Cup
The R. William Jones Cup (), also known as the Jones Cup, is an international basketball tournament organized by the Chinese Taipei Basketball Association (CTBA) held annually since 1977 in Taiwan.
It was named in honor of basketball promoter ...
competition in
Taipei, Taiwan
Taipei (), officially Taipei City, is the capital and a special municipality of the Republic of China (Taiwan). Located in Northern Taiwan, Taipei City is an enclave of the municipality of New Taipei City that sits about southwest of the ...
. The USA team had a record of 3–4, finishing in fifth place, although one of the wins was over South Korea, who would go on to win the gold medal.
A three-time
Olympian, she earned
gold medal
A gold medal is a medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture.
Since the eighteenth century, gold medals have bee ...
s in 1984 and 1988.
Donovan had qualified for the 1980 U.S. Olympic team but did not compete due to the
American-led boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics
The 1980 Summer Olympics boycott was one part of a number of actions initiated by the United States to protest against the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. The Soviet Union, which hosted the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, and its allies late ...
. She did however receive one of 461
Congressional Gold Medal
The Congressional Gold Medal is an award bestowed by the United States Congress. It is Congress's highest expression of national appreciation for distinguished achievements and contributions by individuals or institutions. The congressional pract ...
s created especially for the athletes.
Donovan was a member of the USA National team at the 1983 World Championships, held in
Sao Paulo, Brazil
SAO or Sao may refer to:
Places
* Sao civilisation, in Middle Africa from 6th century BC to 16th century AD
* Sao, a town in Boussé Department, Burkina Faso
* Saco Transportation Center (station code SAO), a train station in Saco, Maine, U.S. ...
. The team won six games, but lost two against the Soviet Union. In an opening round game, the USA team had a nine-point lead at halftime, but the Soviets came back to take the lead, and a final shot by the USA failed to drop, leaving the USSR team with a one-point victory 85–84. The USA team won their next four games, setting up the gold medal game against USSR. This game was also close, and was tied at 82 points each with six seconds to go in the game. The Soviets Elena Chausova received the inbounds pass and hit the game winning shot in the final seconds, giving the USSR team the gold medal with a score of 84–82. The USA team earned the silver medal. Donovan averaged 5.8 points per game.
Donovan also played on two
USA Women's Pan American Team The Pan American Team is one of the teams under the auspices of the USA Basketball organization. The Pan American Games are held every four years in the year before the Olympics. The first Pan American Games were held in 1951, but those games were m ...
s. She played on the 1983 team, winning the gold in Venezuela,
and on the 1987 team winning the gold in Indianapolis, Indiana.
In 1984, the USA sent its National team to the 1984
William Jones Cup
The R. William Jones Cup (), also known as the Jones Cup, is an international basketball tournament organized by the Chinese Taipei Basketball Association (CTBA) held annually since 1977 in Taiwan.
It was named in honor of basketball promoter ...
competition in
Taipei, Taiwan
Taipei (), officially Taipei City, is the capital and a special municipality of the Republic of China (Taiwan). Located in Northern Taiwan, Taipei City is an enclave of the municipality of New Taipei City that sits about southwest of the ...
, for pre-Olympic practice. The team easily beat each of the eight teams they played, winning by an average of just under 50 points per game. Donovan averaged 8.2 points per game and tied for the team lead with eight blocks.
Donovan was selected to represent the US at the inaugural Goodwill games, held in
Moscow
Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million ...
in July 1986.
North Carolina State
North Carolina State University (NC State) is a public land-grant research university in Raleigh, North Carolina. Founded in 1887 and part of the University of North Carolina system, it is the largest university in the Carolinas. The universit ...
's
Kay Yow
Sandra Kay Yow (March 14, 1942 – January 24, 2009) was an American basketball coach. She was the head coach of the NC State Wolfpack women's basketball team from 1975 to 2009. A List of coaches in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of F ...
served as head coach. The team opened up with a 72–53 win against Yugoslavia, and followed that with a 21-point win over Brazil 91–70, with Donovan leading the team scoring with 20 points. The third game was against Czechoslovakia and would be much closer. Donovan was one of the scoring leaders in this game, scoring 15 points to help the US to a 78–70 victory. The USA faced Bulgaria in the semi-final match up, and again won, this time 67–58. This set up the final against the Soviet Union, led by 7-foot-2
Uljana Semjonova
Uļjana Larionovna Semjonova (russian: Ульяна Ларионовна Семёнова, Ul'yana Larionovna Semyonova; born 9 March 1952) is a retired Latvian basketball player who competed for the Soviet Union.
Standing at least Semjonova w ...
, considered the most dominant player in the world. The Soviet team, had a 152–2 record in major international competition over the prior three decades, including an 84–82 win over the US in the 1983 World Championships. The Soviets held the early edge, leading 21–19 at one time, before the USA went on a scoring run to take a large lead they would never relinquish. The final score was 83–60 in favor of the US, earning the gold medal for the USA squad. For the entire event, Donovan averaged eleven points, tied for third leading scorer with
Katrina McClain Johnson
Katrina McClain (born September 19, 1965) is a retired American basketball player. She played for the University of Georgia, as well as many USA Basketball teams including three Olympic teams. McClain was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall ...
.
Donovan continued to represent the US with National team at the 1986 World Championship, held in Moscow, a month after the Goodwill games in Moscow. The USA team was even more dominant this time. The early games were won easily, and the semifinal against Canada, while the closest game for the USA so far, ended up an 82–59 victory. At the same time, the Soviet team was winning easily as well, and the final game pitted two teams each with 6–0 records. The Soviet team, having lost only once at home, wanted to show that the Goodwill games setback was a fluke. The USA team started by scoring the first eight points, and raced to a 45–23 lead, although the Soviets fought back and reduced the halftime margin to 13. The USA went on a 15–1 run in the second half to out the game away, and ended up winning the gold medal with a score of 108–88. Donovan was one of five double-digit scorers in the game with 16 points.
USA Basketball as coach
In 1998, Donovan was named an assistant coach of the USA National Team, under head coach
Nell Fortner
Nell Fortner (born March 3, 1959) is the current women's college basketball coach at Georgia Tech. She is most well known for leading the 2000 Olympics team to a gold medal. She has received numerous awards including the 1997 National Coach of t ...
. The USA team competed in the World Championships held in three cities in Germany, including
Berlin, Germany
Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constituent ...
. The USA team won all six of the preliminary round games, with most game in double-digit margins. The one exception was the opening round game against Japan, which the USA team won 95–89. In the quarterfinals, the USA team beat Slovakia 89–62. In the semifinal match up against Brazil. the USA team was behind by ten points in the first half, but came back and won by 14 points. The championship game was a rematch against Russia, a team the USA had defeated by 36 points in the preliminary round. However, the gold medal game would unfold very differently. The USA team was behind most of the game, with a nine-point deficit at halftime. When there were under two minutes to play, the USA was still behind, but
Ruthie Bolton
Alice Ruth Bolton (born May 25, 1967), known as Ruthie Bolton, is an American former professional women's basketball player. Born in Lucedale, Mississippi, she played at the collegiate, Olympic and professional levels of women's basketball. Bolto ...
hit a three-pointer to give the USA team a one-point lead. After the Russians tied the game, Bolton hit another three to give the USA team a lead they would not relinquish. The USA team won 71–65 to win the gold medal.
Donovan continued as assistant coach to the National team in the 2002 World Championships, held during September in three cities in China, including
Nanjing, China
Nanjing (; , Mandarin pronunciation: ), alternately romanized as Nanking, is the capital of Jiangsu province of the People's Republic of China. It is a sub-provincial city, a megacity, and the second largest city in the East China region. T ...
. The USA won the opening six preliminary rounds easily, with no contest closer than 30 points. That included the opening round game against Russia, who has played them close at the 1998 Championship final. In the opening game, the USA won 89–55 behind 20 points form
Lisa Leslie
Lisa Deshaun Leslie (born July 7, 1972) is an American former professional basketball player. She is currently the head coach for Triplets in the BIG3 professional basketball league, as well as a studio analyst for Orlando Magic broadcasts on F ...
and 17 from
Sheryl Swoopes
Sheryl Denise Swoopes (born March 25, 1971) is an American former professional basketball player. She was the first player to be signed in the WNBA, is a three-time WNBA MVP, and was named one of the league's Top 15 Players of All Time at the 20 ...
. The USA wasn't seriously challenged in the quarterfinals, where they beat Spain by 39 points. The semifinal game against Australia was closer, but Leslie had a double-double with 24 points and 13 rebounds to help the USA team win by 15 points. In the championship game, much like the 1998 finals, the rematch was much closer. This time the USA team did not have to play form behind, and had a ten-point lead late ant he game, but the Russians cut the lead to a single point with just over three minutes remaining. The game remained close, and was within three points with just over twelve seconds to go, but Swoopes was fouled and sank the free throws to give the USA a 79–74 win and the gold medal.
In 2004, Donovan was named the assistant coach of the National team representing the US at the Olympic Games in
Athens, Greece
Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates ...
. The USA team was dominant, led by Lisa Leslie's 15.6 points per game. The USA team won the five preliminary contests with relative ease, with the closest match being the 71–58 victory over Spain. The USA team beat the host Greece in the quarter-finals, then faced Russia in the semifinals. The Russians gave the USA a strong challenge, but the USA team prevailed 66–62 to set up the championship game against Australia. The final would be a rematch of the 2000 Olympic results, and the USA team again prevailed, winning 74–63 to secure the gold medal.
Donovan took over the head coaching duties for the USA National team in 2006, but that was far from the only change on the team. Lisa Leslie, who had led the team in scoring in the 2004 Olympics, the 2002 World Championships, the 2000 Olympics, the 1998 World Championships, and the 1996 Olympics was no longer on the team. Sheryl Swoopes was available but hampered by injuries, and Dawn Staley moved on to coaching. Newcomers
Sue Bird
Suzanne Brigit Bird (born October 16, 1980) is an American former professional basketball player who played her entire career with the Seattle Storm of the Women's National Basketball Association ( WNBA) Bird was drafted by the Storm first over ...
,
Candace Parker
Candace Nicole Parker (born April 19, 1986) is an American professional basketball player for the Chicago Sky of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She was selected as the first overall pick in the 2008 WNBA draft by the Los An ...
and
Diana Taurasi
Diana Lorena Taurasi (born June 11, 1982) is an American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Mercury of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She was drafted by Phoenix first overall in the 2004 WNBA draft. Taurasi has w ...
picked up the slack, but it was a team in transition. As an additional challenge, some members of the squad were unable to join the team for practices due to
WNBA commitments. The team started out strong, winning each of the six preliminary games, including the game against Russia. In the quarterfinals, the USA team beat Spain 90–56. The semifinal was a rematch against Russia, but this time the Russian team prevailed, 75–68. The USA faced Brazil in the bronze medal game, and won easily 99–59.
Donovan continued as head coach for the 2008 Olympic Games. Lisa Leslie returned to the team, and although she no longer led the team in scoring she scored over ten points per game, and was the second leading rebounder behind
Sylvia Fowles
Sylvia Shaqueria Fowles (born October 6, 1985) is an American former professional basketball player. Fowles played for the Chicago Sky and Minnesota Lynx during her career in the WNBA. She won the WNBA MVP Award in 2017 and the WNBA Defensive Pl ...
. The team dominated their opponents, winning all eight games with the closest result being the fifteen-point victory over Russia in the semifinals. In that game, the Russian held a lead into the third quarter, but the USA team proved to be too strong, and turned a five-point deficit into a fifteen-point final margin of victory. The championship game was against Australia, who came into the final game undefeated. However, the USA took an early lead and never relinquished it, finishing the game with a 92–65 margin and the fourth consecutive gold medal for the USA team.
Awards and honors
* Two-time CoSIDA Academic All-American while at ODU.
* 1983—Winner of the
Honda Sports Award
The Honda Sports Award is an annual award in the United States, given to the best collegiate female athlete in each of twelve sports. There are four nominees for each sport, and the twelve winners of the Honda Sports Award are automatically in th ...
for basketball
* Inducted into the CoSIDA Academic All-American Hall of Fame in 1994.
* Inducted into the ODU Sports Hall of Fame in 1988.
* Inducted into the
Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 1000 Hall of Fame Avenue in Springfield, Massachusetts. It serves as basketball's most complete library, in addition to promoting and prese ...
in 1995.
* Inducted into the
Virginia Sports Hall of Fame The Virginia Sports Hall of Fame honors athletes, coaches, administrators, journalists and other contributors to athletics. Many of the more than 350 inductees since 1972 were born in Virginia or enjoyed success in college, professional, amateur or ...
in 1996.
* Inducted into the
Women's Basketball Hall of Fame
The Women's Basketball Hall of Fame honors those who have contributed to the sport of women's basketball. The Hall of Fame opened in 1999 in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA. It is the only facility of its kind dedicated to all levels of women's bask ...
in 1999
* Inducted into the New Jersey Sportswriters Association Hall of Fame in 2000.
* Received the NCAA 25 Year Award on January 13, 2008.
* On October 24, 2004, she was named by the Sun Belt Conference as its All-Time Women's basketball Player.
* Awarded an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters during the 109th commencement ceremony (December 13, 2008) from Old Dominion University in recognition of her recent and past contributions to Women's Basketball.
* In May 2009, she was named to the Hampton Roads Sports Hall of Fame, which honors athletes, coaches and administrators who contributed to sports in southeastern Virginia.
* Inducted into the
FIBA Hall of Fame
The FIBA Hall of Fame, or FIBA Basketball Hall of Fame, honors players, coaches, teams, referees, and administrators who have greatly contributed to international competitive basketball. It was established by FIBA, in 1991. It includes the " Samar ...
, in 2015.
* Inducted into the
New Jersey Hall of Fame
The New Jersey Hall of Fame is an organization that honors individuals from the U.S. state of New Jersey who have made contributions to society and the world beyond.
The Hall of Fame is a designated 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, overseen by ...
in 2019.
Death
Donovan died on June 13, 2018, of heart failure in
Wilmington, North Carolina
Wilmington is a port city in and the county seat of New Hanover County in coastal southeastern North Carolina, United States.
With a population of 115,451 at the 2020 census, it is the eighth most populous city in the state. Wilmington is the ...
. She was 56 years old.
References
References
*
*
External links
Anne Donovanon
Find A Grave
Find a Grave is a website that allows the public to search and add to an online database of cemetery records. It is owned by Ancestry.com. Its stated mission is "to help people from all over the world work together to find, record and present fin ...
Connecticut Sun profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Donovan, Anne
1961 births
2018 deaths
All-American college women's basketball players
American Basketball League (1996–1998) coaches
American Olympic coaches
American women's basketball coaches
American women's basketball players
Basketball coaches from New Jersey
Basketball players at the 1983 Pan American Games
Basketball players at the 1984 Summer Olympics
Basketball players at the 1987 Pan American Games
Basketball players at the 1988 Summer Olympics
Basketball players from New Jersey
Centers (basketball)
Charlotte Sting coaches
Congressional Gold Medal recipients
Connecticut Sun coaches
East Carolina Pirates women's basketball coaches
FIBA Hall of Fame inductees
Indiana Fever coaches
Medalists at the 1984 Summer Olympics
Medalists at the 1988 Summer Olympics
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductees
New York Liberty head coaches
Old Dominion Monarchs women's basketball coaches
Old Dominion Monarchs women's basketball players
Olympic gold medalists for the United States in basketball
Pan American Games gold medalists for the United States
Pan American Games medalists in basketball
Paramus Catholic High School alumni
People from Ridgewood, New Jersey
Seattle Storm coaches
Seton Hall Pirates women's basketball coaches
Sportspeople from Bergen County, New Jersey
United States women's national basketball team coaches
Women's National Basketball Association championship-winning head coaches
Medalists at the 1983 Pan American Games
Medalists at the 1987 Pan American Games
United States women's national basketball team players