Sylvia Crawley
Encyclopedia
Sylvia Crawley is a former collegiate and professional women's basketball
forward, licensed minister and motivational speaker. She is currently the head women's basketball
coach of the Boston College Eagles
.
, Crawley played collegiate basketball for the women's basketball team at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
(UNC). She was a member of the UNC's NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship
team in 1994, her senior season.
After graduation from UNC, Crawley played for the Portland Power
of the American Basketball League (ABL). She won the ABL's slam dunk
contest in 1998.
After the ABL folded due to financial problems, she was selected by the Portland Fire
, and played with them for three seasons. When the Fire folded, Crawley was selected by the Indiana Fever
during the WNBA's dispersal draft
in April 2003. But prior to the start of the 2003 season, the Fever traded Crawley and a rookie player Gwen Jackson to the San Antonio Silver Stars
, in exchange for Natalie Williams
and Coretta Brown.
Crawley spent that one season with the Silver Stars in 2003, mostly in a reserve role, that was marred when she suffered a sprain
ed neck
injury after a collision with Washington Mystics
player Tonya Washington while chasing for a loose ball.
Shortly before the 2004 WNBA season began, Crawley announced her retirement from basketball. But just prior to the start of the 2006 season, Crawley came out of retirement and signed a contract to return to the Silver Stars for the season. However, the day before the season started, the Silver Stars waived her from training camp.
, from 2000-02. In her two seasons with the Tar Heels, the team was 41-23 and made a Sweet Sixteen appearance in the 2002 NCAA Tournament
. After the completion of her professional playing career in 2004, she served as the top assistant at Fordham University
under head coach Jim Lewis. Following Lewis' retirement at the end of the 2005-2006 season, Crawley was named interim head coach.
Shortly thereafter, Crawley was named head coach of the Ohio Bobcats
' women's basketball team on April 18, 2006. On April 28, 2008, Sylvia Crawley was named the head coach of women's basketball at Boston College
. Upon her hiring BC Athletic Director Gene DeFilippo stated "This is an exciting day for BC women's basketball. Sylvia Crawley has enjoyed phenomenal success both as a player and as a coach. As a North Carolina graduate, she knows the ACC inside and out. We are very fortunate to have her as our new coach.http://bceagles.cstv.com/sports/w-baskbl/spec-rel/042908aad.html" In her first season at the Heights, Sylvia led the Eagles to a 23-12 record and an appearance in the WNIT Final Four. http://bceagles.cstv.com/sports/w-baskbl"
Women's basketball
Women's basketball is one of the few women's sports that developed in tandem with its men's counterpart. It became popular, spreading from the east coast of the United States to the west coast , in large part via women's colleges...
forward, licensed minister and motivational speaker. She is currently the head women's basketball
Boston College Women's Basketball
Boston College Women's Basketball is the NCAA Division I women's basketball program for Boston College. Their nickname is the Eagles. Over the past 8 years the team has made the postseason 7 times. On April 29, 2008 they hired Sylvia Crawley as head coach....
coach of the Boston College Eagles
Boston College Eagles
The Boston College Eagles are the athletic teams representing Boston College. They compete in NCAA Division I as members of the Atlantic Coast Conference. The men's and women's ice hockey teams compete in Hockey East. The women's crew team competes in the Eastern Association of Women's Rowing...
.
Playing career
After starring at Steubenville High SchoolSteubenville High School
Steubenville High School is a public high school in Steubenville, Ohio. It is the only public high school in the Steubenville City Schools District. The school is commonly known by the name of its mascot, Big Red. Popular lore says the mascot got its name from the famous race horse, Man 'O War...
, Crawley played collegiate basketball for the women's basketball team at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
(UNC). She was a member of the UNC's NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship
NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Women's Division I Championship is an annual college basketball tournament for women. Held each April, the Women's Championship was inaugurated in the 1981–82 season...
team in 1994, her senior season.
After graduation from UNC, Crawley played for the 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:...
of the American Basketball League (ABL). She won the ABL's slam dunk
Slam dunk
A slam dunk is a type of basketball shot that is performed when a player jumps in the air and manually powers the ball downward through the basket with one or both hands over the rim. This is considered a normal field goal attempt; if successful it is worth two points. The term "slam dunk" was...
contest in 1998.
After the ABL folded due to financial problems, she was selected by the Portland Fire
Portland Fire
The Portland Fire joined the Women's National Basketball Association in 2000 as the counterpart to the NBA team the Portland Trail Blazers. They played their games at Rose Garden in Portland, Oregon. The team folded after the 2002 season, after just three seasons in the league...
, and played with them for three seasons. When the Fire folded, Crawley was selected by the Indiana Fever
Indiana Fever
The Indiana Fever is a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the 2000 season began...
during the WNBA's dispersal draft
Dispersal draft
A dispersal draft is a process in professional sports for assigning players to a new team when their current team goes out of business, consolidates with another team, or for some other reason ceases to exist. Since most sports drafts are held in North America, this is where most dispersal drafts...
in April 2003. But prior to the start of the 2003 season, the Fever traded Crawley and a rookie player Gwen Jackson to the San Antonio Silver Stars
San Antonio Silver Stars
The San Antonio Silver Stars are a professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded in Salt Lake City, Utah before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; the team moved to San Antonio...
, in exchange for Natalie Williams
Natalie Williams
Natalie Williams was a professional basketball player in the Women's National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
and Coretta Brown.
Crawley spent that one season with the Silver Stars in 2003, mostly in a reserve role, that was marred when she suffered a sprain
Sprain
A sprain is an injury in a joint, caused by the ligament being stretched beyond its capacity. A muscular tear caused in the same manner is referred to as a strain. In cases where either ligament or muscle tissue is torn, immobilization and surgical repair may be necessary...
ed neck
Neck
The neck is the part of the body, on many terrestrial or secondarily aquatic vertebrates, that distinguishes the head from the torso or trunk. The adjective signifying "of the neck" is cervical .-Boner anatomy: The cervical spine:The cervical portion of the human spine comprises seven boney...
injury after a collision with Washington Mystics
Washington Mystics
The Washington Mystics is a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded prior to the 1998 season. The team is owned by Monumental Sports & Entertainment , who also owns the Mystics'...
player Tonya Washington while chasing for a loose ball.
Shortly before the 2004 WNBA season began, Crawley announced her retirement from basketball. But just prior to the start of the 2006 season, Crawley came out of retirement and signed a contract to return to the Silver Stars for the season. However, the day before the season started, the Silver Stars waived her from training camp.
Coaching career
Crawley served as an assistant coach at her alma mater, the University of North CarolinaUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
, from 2000-02. In her two seasons with the Tar Heels, the team was 41-23 and made a Sweet Sixteen appearance in the 2002 NCAA Tournament
NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Women's Division I Championship is an annual college basketball tournament for women. Held each April, the Women's Championship was inaugurated in the 1981–82 season...
. After the completion of her professional playing career in 2004, she served as the top assistant at Fordham University
Fordham University
Fordham University is a private, nonprofit, coeducational research university in the United States, with three campuses in and around New York City. It was founded by the Roman Catholic Diocese of New York in 1841 as St...
under head coach Jim Lewis. Following Lewis' retirement at the end of the 2005-2006 season, Crawley was named interim head coach.
Shortly thereafter, Crawley was named head coach of the Ohio Bobcats
Ohio Bobcats
Ohio University features 16 varsity sports teams called the Bobcats. The Bobcats compete in the Mid-American Conference in all sports. The Bobcats were a charter member of the Mid-American Conference in 1946 and are the only team still in the conference from the original 5 team league that...
' women's basketball team on April 18, 2006. On April 28, 2008, Sylvia Crawley was named the head coach of women's basketball at Boston College
Boston College
Boston College is a private Jesuit research university located in the village of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA. The main campus is bisected by the border between the cities of Boston and Newton. It has 9,200 full-time undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students. Its name reflects its early...
. Upon her hiring BC Athletic Director Gene DeFilippo stated "This is an exciting day for BC women's basketball. Sylvia Crawley has enjoyed phenomenal success both as a player and as a coach. As a North Carolina graduate, she knows the ACC inside and out. We are very fortunate to have her as our new coach.http://bceagles.cstv.com/sports/w-baskbl/spec-rel/042908aad.html" In her first season at the Heights, Sylvia led the Eagles to a 23-12 record and an appearance in the WNIT Final Four. http://bceagles.cstv.com/sports/w-baskbl"
External links
- Sylvia Crawley Page on Ohiobobcats.com
- Ohio Bobcats Women's Basketball
- WNBA player profile and statistics
- April 18, 2006 press release on Crawley being named Head Coach at Ohio University
- April 29, 2008 press release on Sylvia Crawley being named Head Women's Basketball Coach at Boston College
- Boston College: Sylvia Crawley Returns to WNBA