The 1982 Cheyney State Lady Wolves basketball team, the first and only historically Black college or university (HBCU) women’s basketball team to reach the NCAA Division I Final Four and championship game, has been nominated for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2025. This nomination honors their extraordinary achievements and lasting influence on the sport.
The Lady Wolves are included among high-profile nominees such as Carmelo Anthony, Sue Bird, Maya Moore, Dwight Howard, and Sylvia Fowles, showcasing the level of excellence they brought to the game.
The Historic Journey
Under the leadership of Hall of Fame coach C. Vivian Stringer, the Lady Wolves overcame numerous challenges during their 1981 – 82 season. With limited resources as a small school, they achieved a remarkable 28–3 record and earned the No. 2 national ranking. They carried a 23-game winning streak into the NCAA tournament and advanced to the inaugural NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship game, where they fell to Louisiana Tech.
In a 2022 interview with FOX 29, former player Yolanda Laney reflected on the team’s confidence and preparation under Stringer’s leadership. “Coach Stringer was a great coach, a great instructor, a great teacher. She prepared us for every game that we played. We never felt that we would be defeated,” Laney said.
Laney also emphasized the pride the team felt in representing Cheyney, stating, “Cheyney has a rich heritage. We always believed we would win every time we stepped onto the court because of the preparation and all the energy that [Coach Stringer] put in.”
Breaking Barriers
The Cheyney State Lady Wolves’ historic season broke barriers on multiple fronts. They became the first team with an all-women coaching staff and the first with an all-Black coaching staff to make it to the NCAA Division I Final Four and championship game.
Laney told FOX 29 about the team’s awareness of their role in history, saying, “We realized we were the first HBCU to get there. It was very important for us to make history, and we did great things.”
Their achievements not only showcased the talent and determination of HBCU programs but also highlighted the importance of representation at the highest level of college athletics.
Path to the Hall of Fame
The Lady Wolves nomination places them alongside some of basketball’s greatest figures, including first-time nominees Carmelo Anthony and Sue Bird. If selected, they would join the Hall of Fame as a team that set a powerful example of resilience, teamwork, and excellence.
The finalists for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2025 will be announced on February 14, 2025, during NBA All-Star Weekend, with the official inductees revealed at the NCAA Final Four on April 5, 2025. For the Lady Wolves, the nomination is a celebration of their groundbreaking legacy and a reminder of how they paved the way for others.
As Laney eloquently said in her interview with FOX 29, “We didn’t just make history—we paved the way for others to dream bigger.”