Henrickson To Receive Carol Eckman Award
March 10, 2005
ATLANTA — University of Kansas women’s basketball head coach Bonne Henrickson is the winner of the Carol Eckman Award as announced by The Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA).<?xml:namespace prefix=”o” ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office”?>
The Carol Eckman Award is presented annually to an active WBCA coach who exemplifies Eckman’s spirit, integrity and character through sportsmanship, commitment to the student-athlete, honesty, ethical behavior, courage and dedication to purpose. The award is named in honor of the late Carol Eckman, the former West Chester State College coach who is considered the “Mother of the Women’s Collegiate Basketball Championship.” Eckman organized the first women’s basketball championship at West Chester in 1969 and continued to garner recognition and support for the women’s game until her death from cancer in 1985.
“Bonnie demonstrates a genuine dedication to her student-athletes, fellow colleagues and the game of basketball,” said CEO Beth Bass. “She is a true model of what the Carol Eckman Award symbolizes.”
In her first year with the Jayhawks, Henrickson guided Kansas to its most wins since 2000-01 and its best conference finish in five seasons. Before coming to Kansas, Henrickson served seven years as head coach at Virginia Tech where her teams reached the NCAA tournament five times and the WNIT twice. In 2000, Henrickson was the head coach of the USA Basketball R. Williams Jones Cup team that went 4-0 to claim the gold medal. She also served as an assistant coach on the Team USA squad that won the silver medal at the 1999 World University Games.
Henrickson joins former Kansas coach Marian Washington on the list of coaches to win the award.
Henrickson will be formally presented at the WBCA Awards Luncheon presented by State Farm and Jostens on April 3 at the Indianapolis Convention Center. The WBCA Awards Luncheon presented by State Farm and Jostens is part of the WBCA National Convention held in conjunction with the 2005 NCAA Division I Women’s Final Four.
Now in its 20th year, the Carol Eckman Award has recognized the following individuals in women’s basketball: Deirdre Kane, West Chester University (2004); Marsha Sharp, Texas Tech University (2003); Barbara Stevens, Bentley College (2002); Juliene Simpson, East Stroudsburg University (2001); Kathy Delaney-Smith, Harvard University (2000); Susan Summons, Miami-Dade (Fla.) Community College (1999); Kay James, University of Southern Mississippi (1998); Amy Ruley, North Dakota State University (1997); Dr. Joann Rutherford, University of Missouri (1996); Ceal Barry, University of Colorado (1995); Sue Gunter, Louisiana State University (1994); C. Vivian Stringer, University of Iowa (1993); Dr. Jill Hutchison, Illinois State University (1992); Marian Washington, University of Kansas (1991); Maryalyce Jeremiah, Cal State Fullerton (1990); Linda Hill-MacDonald, Temple University (1989); Kay Yow, North Carolina State University (1988); Jody Conradt, University of Texas (1987), and Laura Mapp, Bridgewater College(1986).
For more information about the WBCA, please visit WBCA.org.
