Anne Donovan
Old Dominion (assistant) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1995–1998 | East Carolina | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1998 | Philadelphia Rage | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2000 | Indiana Fever (interim) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2001–2002 | Charlotte Sting | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2003–2007 | Seattle Storm | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2009 | New York Liberty (assistant) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2009–2010 | New York Liberty | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2010–2013 | Seton Hall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2013–2015 | Connecticut Sun | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Career highlights and awards | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
As player:
As coach:
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Basketball Hall of Fame as player | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Women's Basketball Hall of Fame | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
FIBA Hall of Fame as player | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medals
|
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.
In her playing career, Donovan won a national championship with
As a professional basketball coach, she guided the
After coaching the Indiana Fever and the Charlotte Sting earlier in her career, Donovan joined the New York Liberty 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 in Paramus, New Jersey. 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.[1]
College
Donovan, at 6'8", was the most recruited female player in the nation going into college.
At ODU, Donovan helped the Lady Monarchs win the 1980
The first two NCAA Women's Final Fours (1982 and 1983) were hosted by ODU at
Old Dominion University statistics
Source[4]
GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
Year | Team | GP | Points | FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | BPG | PPG |
1979–80 | Old Dominion University | 38 | 648 | 63.0% | 53.9% | 12.9 | 1.6 | 6.0 | 17.1 |
1980–81 | Old Dominion University | 35 | 879 | 63.8% | 71.4% | 16.2 | 1.5 | 5.7 | 25.1 |
1981–82 | Old Dominion University | 28 | 579 | 64.0% | 69.7% | 14.7 | 2.6 | 6.0 | 20.7 |
1982–83 | Old Dominion University | 35 | 613 | 61.4% | 66.9% | 14.4 | 2.5 | 5.9 | 17.5 |
Career | 136 | 2719 | 63.1% | 66.1% | 14.5 | 2.0 | 5.9 | 20.0 |
Professional career
As there were few professional opportunities for women basketball players in the U.S., Donovan played pro ball for
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 from 1995 to 1998, reaching the Colonial Athletic Association finals against her alma mater, Old Dominion.[1] Her coaching career moved to the professional ranks via a brief stint with the American Basketball League's Philadelphia Rage in 1997–98.[1] As the ABL folded, she joined the rival WNBA as an assistant coach for the expansion Indiana Fever. With coach Nell Fortner 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 to the WNBA Finals in 2001, losing to the Los Angeles Sparks. In 2002, she led the Sting to an 18–14 record, losing to the Washington Mystics in the first round of playoffs.[1]
Donovan was inducted to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1995,[5] and as part of the inaugural class of the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 1999.[6]
In 2003, Donovan was hired as the second head coach of the Seattle Storm, inheriting a team with two number one draft picks from 2001 and 2002, the Australian Lauren Jackson and University of Connecticut star Sue Bird. 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, the Storm earned the city of Seattle 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 coach Michael Cooper. She trails only Van Chancellor and Richie Adubato in victories.
On November 30, 2007, Donovan resigned from her position of head coach of the Seattle Storm.
On April 28, 2009, Donovan was appointed as an assistant coach for the New York Liberty. 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 on March 29, 2010,[7] 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 by a score of 72–59 at Walsh Gymnasium.
She resigned the coaching job at Seton Hall in January 2013 [8] 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.[9]
USA Basketball as player
Donovan was named to the team representing the US at the inaugural
A three-time
Donovan was a member of the USA National team at the 1983 World Championships, held in
Donovan also played on two
Donovan was selected to represent the US at the inaugural Goodwill games, held in
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.[17]
USA Basketball as coach
In 1998, Donovan was named an assistant coach of the USA National Team, under head coach
Donovan continued as assistant coach to the National team in the 2002 World Championships, held during September in three cities in China, including
In 2004, Donovan was named the assistant coach of the National team representing the US at the Olympic Games in
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
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. 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.[22]
Awards and honors
- Two-time CoSIDA Academic All-American while at ODU.
- 1983—Winner of the Honda Sports Award for basketball[23]
- 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 in 1995.[1]
- Inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame in 1996.
- Inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 1999
- Inducted into the New Jersey Sportswriters Association Hall of Fame in 2000.[1]
- 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, in 2015.
- Inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame in 2019.
Death
Donovan died on June 13, 2018, of heart failure in Wilmington, North Carolina. She was 56 years old.[24][25]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Porter p. 115
- ^ a b Grundy p 177–178
- ^ "FIBA.basketball". FIBA.basketball. Retrieved March 30, 2020.
- ^ "ODU Media Guide" (PDF). www.odusports.com. Retrieved September 4, 2017.
- ^ "Hall of Famers". Basketball Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on August 31, 2009. Retrieved August 1, 2009.
- ^ "WBHOF Inductees". WBHOF. Archived from the original on December 6, 2017. Retrieved August 1, 2009.
- ^ Seton Hall Pirates Women's Basketball Archived November 12, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Seton Hall Pirates Women's Basketball
- ^ Donovan Resigns as Sun Head Coach
- ^ "1977 Women's R. William Jones Cup". USA Basketball. Archived from the original on September 7, 2015. Retrieved October 17, 2015.
- ISBN 978-0942257403.
- ^ "Ninth World Championship For Women – 1983". USA Basketball. June 10, 2010. Archived from the original on September 5, 2015. Retrieved October 19, 2015.
- ^ "Ninth Pan American Games – 1983". USA Basketball. June 10, 2010. Archived from the original on September 7, 2015. Retrieved October 15, 2015.
- ^ "Tenth Pan American Games – 1987". USA Basketball. June 10, 2010. Archived from the original on September 7, 2015. Retrieved October 15, 2015.
- ^ "1984 WOMEN'S R. WILLIAM JONES CUP". USA Basketball. Archived from the original on August 8, 2014. Retrieved August 3, 2014.
- ^ "FIRST WOMEN'S GOODWILL GAMES – 1986". USA Basketball. Archived from the original on October 17, 2013. Retrieved June 25, 2010.
- ^ "TENTH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FOR WOMEN – 1986". USA Basketball. Archived from the original on April 24, 2012. Retrieved June 25, 2010.
- ^ "THIRTEENTH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FOR WOMEN – 1998". USA Basketball. Archived from the original on May 25, 2013. Retrieved May 14, 2013.
- ^ "FOURTEENTH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FOR WOMEN – 2002". USA Basketball. Archived from the original on May 25, 2013. Retrieved May 14, 2013.
- ^ "Games of the XXVIIIth Olympiad – 2004". USA Basketball. Archived from the original on May 25, 2013. Retrieved May 14, 2013.
- ^ "FIFTEENTH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FOR WOMEN – 2006". USA Basketball. Archived from the original on May 25, 2013. Retrieved May 14, 2013.
- ^ "Games of the XXVIIIth Olympiad – 2008". USA Basketball. Archived from the original on May 25, 2013. Retrieved May 14, 2013.
- ^ "PAST HONDA SPORTS AWARD WINNERS FOR BASKETBALL". THE Collegiate Women Sports Awards Program. Retrieved May 8, 2014.
- ^ Voepel, Mechells (June 13, 2018). "Anne Donovan, Hall of Famer and Olympic gold medalist, dies at 56". ESPN.com. Retrieved June 13, 2018.
- ^ "Basketball Great Anne Donovan Dies at 56".
References
- Grundy, Pamela (2005). Shattering the glass. New Press. ISBN 978-1-56584-822-1.
- David L. Porter, ed. (2005). Basketball: A Biographical Dictionary. Greenwood Press. ISBN 978-0-313-30952-6.
External links
- Anne Donovan on Find A Grave
- Connecticut Sun profile
- Anne Donovan at FIBA
- Anne Donovan international stats at Basketball-Reference.com
- Anne Donovan at Olympedia
- Anne Donovan at Olympics.com