WHEREAS, In1982, Cheyney University, formerly known as Cheyney State College, Lady Wolves Basketball Team, under the leadership of Hall of Fame Coach C. Vivian Stringer, made history by competing in the first ever National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Women’s Tournament; and
WHEREAS, The Lady Wolves completed a remarkable 28-3 season with a 23-game winning streak that included victories over Division I national powerhouses such as North Carolina State University, Kansas State University, University of Maryland, and Auburn University; and
WHEREAS, On March 28, 1982, a sold-out crowd gathered at the Norfolk Scope Arena in Norfolk, Virginia, with the game televised nationally by CBS as the Lady Wolves faced Louisiana Tech University’s Lady Techsters, the previous national champions under the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW); and
WHEREAS, The Lady Wolves started strong with a 22-18 lead against the former national champions but ultimately fell short, concluding the game with a score of 76-62; and
WHEREAS, Cheyney State’s Lady Wolves were the first, and only, Historically Black College and University (HBCU) to compete in the NCAA Division I Women’s Final Four and National Championship game; and
WHEREAS, The legacy of this extraordinary team extends far beyond basketball, demonstrating the values of perseverance, unity, and pride in representing Cheyney University, the oldest HBCU in America; and
WHEREAS, The 1982 Cheyney State’s Lady Wolves were rightfully inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame on April 27, 2024, as “Trailblazers of the Game,” finally receiving recognition for their historic contributions to women’s sports; and
WHEREAS, The Lady Wolves will be acknowledged in front of their peers at the upcoming Homecoming “Hall of Fame Ring Presentation” ceremony at Cheyney University on October 12, 2024; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, T
hat we honor and congratulate the 1982 Cheyney State Lady Wolves Women’s Basketball Team for their remarkable achievements and historic contributions to women’s basketball and sports at large.
FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this Resolution be presented to Cheyney State’s 1982 Lady Wolves Basketball Team.
End