New York Stars (WBL)
Encyclopedia
The New York Stars were a team that played for the first two of three seasons in the Women's Professional Basketball League
. The team won the 1979-80 league championship in its second season, defeating the Iowa Cornets
, but folded after the season ended.
The league began with a player draft held in Manhattan
's Essex House
in July 1978, with eight teams participating. The Stars drafted Althea Gwyn and Debbie "The Pearl" Mason, who had played collegiate basketball locally at Queens College
. The team played the inaugural season at the Iona College
gymnasium in New Rochelle, New York
and its second season at Madison Square Garden
. Twins Faye and Kaye Young, who had played together at both Peace College
and North Carolina State University
, played together for both seasons that the Stars were in existence.
The team finished the 1978-79 season with a record of 19 wins and 15 losses, placing second of four teams in the league's Eastern Division. In the first round of the playoffs the Stars were swept in two games by the Houston Angels
, who would go on to win the first league championship, losing the final game by a score of 93–84 despite 38 points from Althea Gwyn.
In the 1979-80 season the team finished with a record of 28 wins and seven losses, the highest winning percentage of any team in league history, finishing in first place in the six-team Eastern Division (though two teams , the Washington Metros
and the Philadelphia Fox, had disbanded after 10 games). The Stars earned a bye in the first round and played the San Francisco Pioneers in the semifinals, sweeping the series in two games. On April 9, 1980, despite Iowa's league-leading scorer Molly Bolin's 36 point, the New York Stars held on to win game four of the finals 125–114, behind 27 points by Pearl Moore and 22 by Janice Thomas. Stars coach Dean Meminger
, a former professional basketball player who had played for the New York Knicks
, called the game the "culmination of a year of hard work" and was honored as the league's Coach of the Year.
The team was disbanded after the 1979-80 season.
Women's Professional Basketball League
The Women's Professional Basketball League was a professional women's basketball league in the United States. The league played three seasons from the fall of 1978 to the spring of 1981...
. The team won the 1979-80 league championship in its second season, defeating the Iowa Cornets
Iowa Cornets
The Iowa Cornets was a team that played for two seasons in the Women's Professional Basketball League. The team made it to the league's championship series both seasons, falling to the Houston Angels in 1978-79 and to the New York Stars in 1979-80...
, but folded after the season ended.
The league began with a player draft held in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
's Essex House
Essex House
-Buildings:* Essex House - a historic house in London* Jumeirah Essex House - a luxury hotel in New York City...
in July 1978, with eight teams participating. The Stars drafted Althea Gwyn and Debbie "The Pearl" Mason, who had played collegiate basketball locally at Queens College
Queens College, City University of New York
Queens College, located in Flushing, Queens, New York City, is one of the senior colleges of the City University of New York. It is also the fifth oldest of the City University's twenty-three institutions of higher learning. The college's seventy seven acre campus is located in the heart of the...
. The team played the inaugural season at the Iona College
Iona College (New York)
Iona College is located in New Rochelle, New York, 20 miles north of Manhattan in suburban Westchester County. The college occupies 35 acres on North Ave. The college also operates a Graduate Center in Pearl River, Rockland County, New York....
gymnasium in New Rochelle, New York
New Rochelle, New York
New Rochelle is a city in Westchester County, New York, United States, in the southeastern portion of the state.The town was settled by refugee Huguenots in 1688 who were fleeing persecution in France...
and its second season at Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
. Twins Faye and Kaye Young, who had played together at both Peace College
Peace College
William Peace University is a small liberal arts college located in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. It is affiliated with the Presbyterian church.-History:...
and North Carolina State University
NC State Wolfpack women's basketball
The NC State Wolfpack women's basketball team is one of the most storied programs in women's college basketball history.-The Early Days :The women's basketball team at NC State had its beginnings in 1974...
, played together for both seasons that the Stars were in existence.
The team finished the 1978-79 season with a record of 19 wins and 15 losses, placing second of four teams in the league's Eastern Division. In the first round of the playoffs the Stars were swept in two games by the Houston Angels
Houston Angels
The Houston Angels was a team that played for two seasons in the Women's Professional Basketball League. The team won the league championship in the inaugural season defeating the Iowa Cornets three games to two in the best-of-five tournament...
, who would go on to win the first league championship, losing the final game by a score of 93–84 despite 38 points from Althea Gwyn.
In the 1979-80 season the team finished with a record of 28 wins and seven losses, the highest winning percentage of any team in league history, finishing in first place in the six-team Eastern Division (though two teams , the Washington Metros
Washington Metros
The Washington Metros were an American basketball team based in Washington, D.C. that was a member of the Eastern Basketball Association.Following the 1977/78 season, the team became the Baltimore Metros.-Year-by-year:...
and the Philadelphia Fox, had disbanded after 10 games). The Stars earned a bye in the first round and played the San Francisco Pioneers in the semifinals, sweeping the series in two games. On April 9, 1980, despite Iowa's league-leading scorer Molly Bolin's 36 point, the New York Stars held on to win game four of the finals 125–114, behind 27 points by Pearl Moore and 22 by Janice Thomas. Stars coach Dean Meminger
Dean Meminger
Dean Peter Meminger is an American basketball player and coach. Meminger starred at Rice High School in New York City. He attended Marquette University, where he played for coach Al McGuire...
, a former professional basketball player who had played for the New York Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, called the game the "culmination of a year of hard work" and was honored as the league's Coach of the Year.
The team was disbanded after the 1979-80 season.