Lynette Woodard Team · Feb 15, 2024 · 1 min read
Lynette Woodard Statement on Caitlin Clark's Career
Lynette congratulates Caitlin as she becomes the new Division I NCAA scoring leader.
About Lynette
A Legend
of the Game
Widely considered one of the greatest female players of all time, her magnetic personality and warm smile could not hide her intense desire to outdo her opponent and win basketball games.
Lynette won the Wade Trophy, awarded to the best basketball player in the nation, in 1981. Under the tutelage of legendary Hall of Fame Coach Marian E. Washington, she finished her collegiate career as a 4-time Kodak All-American and the most prolific scorer in the game's history with 3,649 points, a record which remained until 2024.
In 1984, she captained the U.S. women's basketball team that won gold in the Olympics. She then made history as the first female to play for the World-Famous Harlem Globetrotters. Inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2004, Lynette continues to inspire others to follow their dreams.
3,649
AIAW Scoring Record
4×
Kodak All-American
2004
Hall of Fame
1984
Olympic Gold
Career Timeline
Milestones &
Achievements
1975
High School · Wichita, Kansas
Two State Championships · 1,678 Points in 62 Games
Led Wichita North High School to state championships in 1975 and 1977, scoring 1,678 points and collecting 1,030 rebounds in just 62 high school games.
1980
Moscow Olympics
U.S. Olympic Team Selection
Selected to the U.S. Women's Olympic Basketball Team but did not compete due to the U.S.-led boycott of the Moscow Games.
1977
–81
–81
KU Jayhawks
4× Kodak All-American · 2× GTE Academic All-American
Named Kodak All-American all four years, a first in women's basketball. Named Academic All-American in her junior and senior years. The Lady Jayhawks went 108–32 and won three straight Big Eight Championships during her tenure.
1981
Senior Season
Triple Crown · Wade Trophy · Honda Broderick · NCAA Top Five Award
Swept every major national award in a single season. The NCAA Top Five Award had never been given to a female athlete before. Also named Big Eight Conference Outstanding Female of the Year and NAACP Wichita Chapter Woman of the Year.
Wade Trophy
Honda Broderick Award
NCAA Top Five — First Female
Big Eight Female of the Year
NAACP Woman of the Year
1981
AIAW Scoring Record · 1981–2024
All-Time Women's College Scoring Record — 3,649 Points
The most prolific scorer in the history of college basketball. Because Lynette played under the AIAW (Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women) before the NCAA took over women's sports in 1982, the NCAA never officially recognized her record. The record stood for 43 years until Caitlin Clark surpassed it in 2024.
1981
–83
–83
Italy · UFO Schio, Vicenza
Italian Professional Basketball — First Stint
Joined UFO Schio in Vicenza immediately after graduating from Kansas. With no professional women's league in the US, Italy offered the highest level of competition available.
1984
Los Angeles Olympics
U.S. Olympic Gold Medal — Team Captain
Captained the United States Women's Basketball Team to gold at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
1985
Harlem Globetrotters
First Female Harlem Globetrotter
Made history as the first woman ever to play for the World-Famous Harlem Globetrotters. Jazz legend Wynton Marsalis later composed a song in her honor, The First Lady: Lyrical Lynette.
1987
–89
–89
Italy · UFO Schio, Vicenza
Italian Professional Basketball — Return & Championship
Returned to UFO Schio after the Globetrotters and led the club to the Italian national championship in 1989.
1990
–93
–93
Japan · Daina Securities
Japanese Professional Basketball · Division Champions · 1990 World Championship Gold
Played three seasons for Daina Securities in Japan's professional women's league, winning the divisional championship in 1992 and gold at the 1990 World Championships while still abroad.
1993
Awards
Women's Sports Foundation Flo Hyman Award · Professional Women of Color Breaking the Mold Award
The Flo Hyman Award honors female athletes who embody dignity, spirit, and commitment to excellence. The Breaking the Mold Award recognized her trailblazing career as a pioneer for women and women of color in sport.
1996
Recognition
Greatest Female Player in Big Eight Conference History · Harlem Globetrotters Legends Ring
Named by unanimous vote the greatest female player in Big Eight Conference history, having scored 400+ more points than any other woman in conference history and setting the conference rebound record. Received the Globetrotters' most prestigious honor, the Legends Ring, joining her cousin Hubert "Geese" Ausbie.
1997
WNBA
Cleveland Rockers · Detroit Shock
One of the pioneering players in the WNBA's inaugural season. Played for the Cleveland Rockers in 1997 and the Detroit Shock in 1998.
1999
–00
–00
Recognition
Sports Illustrated for Women — 100 Greatest Women Athletes · Kansas City Sports Walk of Stars — First Female Inductee
Named one of the 100 greatest female athletes of all time by Sports Illustrated for Women. Shortly after, became the first woman ever inducted into the Kansas City Sports Walk of Stars.
2015
Award
WBCBL Trailblazer Award · Amelia Earhart Pioneering Achievement Award · NCAA Inclusion Legacy Celebration
The Women's Blue Chip Basketball League Trailblazer Award honored her pioneering role in advancing women's professional basketball. The Amelia Earhart Award and NCAA Inclusion honor recognized her as someone who blazed trails across traditional boundaries.
WBCBL Trailblazer Award
Amelia Earhart Pioneering Achievement Award
NCAA Inclusion Legacy Celebration
2022
Harlem Globetrotters
Special Advisor to the President
Returned to the Globetrotters in December 2022 as Special Advisor to the President, joining the largest female roster in Globetrotters history.
2024
Las Vegas Aces & Raiders
The IX Awards — Legacy Award
Received the Legacy Award at The IX Awards on June 17, 2024, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, an annual ceremony honoring women and men whose lives represent the spirit of Title IX legislation.
2026
KU Athletics
Marian E. Washington Trailblazer Series
Named a 2026 honoree by Kansas Athletics, celebrating African-American Jayhawks who have shaped the program throughout history.
Photo Gallery
Gallery
Recognition
Halls of
Fame
1989
National High School Sports Hall of Fame
Inducted for her dominant prep career in Wichita, where she led her team to two state championships in 62 games.
1990
Kansas Sports Hall of Fame
Honored by her home state as one of its greatest ever athletes.
1990s
GTE Academic Hall of Fame
Recognized as a two-time GTE Academic All-American and student-athlete of the highest distinction.
1990s
KS High School Activities Association Hall of Fame
Honored for her historic prep career in the state of Kansas.
1990s
University of Kansas Athletic Hall of Fame
Inducted by her alma mater, where she still holds the all-time records in points, rebounds, and steals.
~2000
Kansas City Sports Walk of Stars
First woman ever inducted.
2002
Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame
Team induction with the Harlem Globetrotters. First of two Naismith inductions.
2004
Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame — Individual
The sport's highest honor, inducted individually in Springfield, Massachusetts. One of only two Class of 2004 members inducted in their first year of eligibility, alongside NBA legend Clyde Drexler.
2004
Harlem Globetrotters Hall of Fame
Inducted the same year as her individual Naismith induction, cementing her Globetrotters legacy.
2005
Women's Basketball Hall of Fame
Enshrined in Knoxville, Tennessee as a four-time All-American and all-time leading scorer in women's Division I basketball history at the time of her induction.
Women's Sports Hall of Fame
Recognized among the greatest female athletes in the history of sport.
African American Hall of Fame
Honored for her impact far beyond the basketball court.
Black Legends Professional Hall of Fame
Inducted for her pioneering contributions to sport and breaking barriers for Black athletes.
Get in Touch
Interview &
Appearances
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