The Long Beach Stingrays was a women's professional basketball

Basketball

Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...

 team. It existed for only the 1997-98 season, and was a member of the American Basketball League

American Basketball League (1996-1998)

The American Basketball League, often abbreviated to the ABL of 1996 was an independent professional basketball league for women in the United States. At the same time the ABL was being formed, the National Basketball Association was creating the Women's National Basketball Association...

.

The Stingrays played most of their home games at the Walter Pyramid

Walter Pyramid

Walter Pyramid, formerly known as Long Beach Pyramid, is a 5,000-seat, indoor multi-purpose stadium on the campus of California State University, Long Beach in Long Beach, California.-History:...

 on the campus of California State University, Long Beach

California State University, Long Beach

California State University, Long Beach is the second largest campus of the California State University system and the third largest university in the state of California by enrollment...

; however, one home game was played at the Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim (now the Honda Center). Their head coach

Head coach

A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...

 was Maura McHugh.

The Stingrays' biggest star player was their center

Center (basketball)

The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well...

, Yolanda Griffith

Yolanda Griffith

Yolanda Evette Griffith is a former American professional basketball who played in both the ABL, and WNBA. A Former WNBA MVP she is considered one of the greatest rebounders and defensive players in the history of Women's Basketball. She last played in the WNBA as a member of the Indiana Fever...

. Other notable Stingrays included Beverly Williams, Michelle Marciniak

Michelle Marciniak

Michelle Marciniak is a former All American collegiate and professional basketball player, who played point guard in the Women's National Basketball Association . As a floor general, Marciniak competed for two National Championships during her three year career at the University of Tennessee...

, and the former Olympian Venus Lacy

Venus Lacy

Venus Lacy , born on February 9, 1967 in Chattanooga, Tennessee, is a former star basketball player, at the high school, college, Olympic and professional levels. A wide-bodied, muscular 6'-4" center, at her best Lacy was an intimidating force inside the paint, both scoring and rebounding...

.

In what turned out to be the team's only season, the Stingrays made it all the way to the ABL's championship round. They beat the defending champion Columbus Quest

Columbus Quest

The Columbus Quest was a professional women's basketball franchise located in Columbus, Ohio in the now-defunct American Basketball League . They were one of the league's original eight teams that started play in 1996...

 in the first two games, both in Long Beach, but lost the final three games in Columbus, and with that, the series.

The Stingrays folded after the season, and the rest of the league followed in December 1998. Griffith, like most of the ABL's star players, eventually joined the competing Women's National Basketball Association

Women's National Basketball Association

The Women's National Basketball Association is a women's professional basketball league in the United States. It currently is composed of twelve teams. The league was founded on April 24, 1996 as the women's counterpart to the National Basketball Association...

. Griffith has played for the Sacramento Monarchs

Sacramento Monarchs

The Sacramento Monarchs were a basketball team based in Sacramento, California. They played in the Women's National Basketball Association from 1997 until folding on November 20, 2009...

 since 1999. As for McHugh, she has coached various professional and college teams.

Regular season

Season	W	L	Win %	Result
1997-1998	26	18	.591	2nd Place, Western Conference

Post-season

Date	Winning team	Losing team	Result
ABL First Round Playoffs
21Feb98	Long Beach Stingrays 96	Colorado Xplosion Colorado Xplosion The Colorado Xplosion was the first women's professional basketball franchise in Colorado, an American Basketball League team based in Denver. Playing from 1996 through 1998, the team produced many memorable moments for Colorado sports fans and followers of women's professional basketball in...   72
22Feb98	Colorado 88	Long Beach 68
25Feb98	Long Beach 92	Colorado 61	Long Beach wins series, 2 games to 1
ABL Semifinals
27Feb98	Long Beach Stingrays 72	Portland Power Portland Power (basketball) The Portland Power was a women's professional basketball team in the American Basketball League based in Portland, Oregon. The Power began play in 1996, and disbanded when the ABL folded at the end of 1998.-1996-97 season:...  62
1Mar98	Long Beach 70	Portland 69	Long Beach wins series, 2 games to 0
ABL Championship Series
8Mar98	Long Beach Stingrays 65	Columbus Quest Columbus Quest The Columbus Quest was a professional women's basketball franchise located in Columbus, Ohio in the now-defunct American Basketball League . They were one of the league's original eight teams that started play in 1996...  62
9Mar98	Long Beach 71	Columbus 61
11Mar98	Columbus 70	Long Beach 61
11Mar98	Columbus 68	Long Beach 53
15Mar98	Columbus 86	Long Beach 81	Columbus wins ABL Championship, 3 games to 2

League honors

Yolanda Griffith

Yolanda Griffith

Yolanda Evette Griffith is a former American professional basketball who played in both the ABL, and WNBA. A Former WNBA MVP she is considered one of the greatest rebounders and defensive players in the history of Women's Basketball. She last played in the WNBA as a member of the Indiana Fever...

• ABL Defensive Player of the Year, 1997-98
• All-ABL First Team, 1997-98