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Marian Washington to Join Naismith Hall of Fame as Member of 1996 Olympic Team
8/12/2026 10:07:00 AM | Women's Basketball
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Legendary Kansas women's basketball coach Marian E. Washington will be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a member of the 1996 USA Basketball Women's National Team. The Class of 2026 induction is set for Saturday, August 15, in Springfield, Massachusetts.
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Washington served as an assistant coach to Stanford's Tara VanDerveer during the 1996 Olympics, becoming the first female African American coach on a USA Olympic Basketball coaching staff. All 12 players from the historic team will be enshrined in the Hall of Fame, alongside VanDerveer and her three assistant coaches, including Washington.
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The 1996 USA Basketball Women's National Team captured the gold medal at the Atlanta Games, finishing with an undefeated 8-0 record and an average margin of victory of more than 30 points. Coached by VanDerveer, the team featured a roster that included future Hall of Famers Lisa Leslie, Sheryl Swoopes, Dawn Staley, Teresa Edwards, Rebecca Lobo, and Katrina McClain. The squad's dominant performance helped elevate the global profile of women's basketball and contributed to the launch of the WNBA later that year.
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Washington, a two-time finalist for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, coached 31 seasons as the head coach at Kansas during her legendary career. She led the Jayhawks to a record of 560-363 from 1973-2004 to become the winningest coach in program history.
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Following her first season as the women's basketball coach in 1974, Washington started KU's intercollegiate women's track and field program and served as the head coach during its first year. She was also the first Athletics Director for Women's Athletics at the University of Kansas from 1974-79.
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From an early age, Washington was a trail blazer as she was the first of two black women to play on a United States National Team. She played for the national team from 1969-71, which included the 1971 World Championship in Sao Paulo, Brazil. In 1982, she became the first African American woman to serve as the coach of a United States international team. Washington was also the first to coach on an Olympic women's basketball staff, serving as an assistant on the 1996 gold-medal winning team.
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While at Kansas, Washington guided the Jayhawks to 11 NCAA Tournament appearances, reaching the Sweet 16 twice. She also led KU to two WNIT appearances and three AIAW Sectional finishes while claiming seven league titles and six conference tournament championships. Washington was honored as a conference Coach of the Year on three occasions, receiving Big Eight recognition in 1992 and 1996 and she was named the first Big 12 Coach of the Year in 1997.
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Washington received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Black Coaches Association (BCA) in 2003 and she was twice named the BCA Coach of the Year in 1992 and 1996. She was the first female to serve as president of the BCA as well as the first individual to serve consecutive terms as president of the organization.
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Washington played collegiately at West Chester State University, where she was a member of the first women's national championship team. Her West Chester State team finished unbeaten and won the National Women's Invitational Tournament in 1969, defeating Western Carolina for the title.
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Being inducted into a Hall of Fame is nothing new for Washington. While still coaching at Kansas, she was inducted into the West Chester State Women's Athletic Hall of Fame. She was originally inducted in 1988 for her playing career and in 2000 she became a member of the West Chester State Athletic Hall of Fame when the school's various Hall of Fames became consolidated. Following her retirement from KU, Washington was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in the Class of 2004.
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The University of Kansas proudly boasts its rich basketball history as Washington becomes the 21st former Jayhawk basketball student-athlete or coach to be enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, a list which includes 19 men (one two times) and two women. The latest Kansas addition was Paul Pierce, who was inducted in 2022. Overall, Kansas has seen its coaches and players named to the Hall of Fame 22 times, the most of any Division I school. The Hall of Fame is named in honor of the game's inventor and first KU head coach, Dr. James Naismith.
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Kansas women's basketball great Lynette Woodard, who played for Washington from 1977-81, was enshrined in the Naismith Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2004. Current Kansas men's basketball coach Bill Self was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2017.
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Washington served as an assistant coach to Stanford's Tara VanDerveer during the 1996 Olympics, becoming the first female African American coach on a USA Olympic Basketball coaching staff. All 12 players from the historic team will be enshrined in the Hall of Fame, alongside VanDerveer and her three assistant coaches, including Washington.
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The 1996 USA Basketball Women's National Team captured the gold medal at the Atlanta Games, finishing with an undefeated 8-0 record and an average margin of victory of more than 30 points. Coached by VanDerveer, the team featured a roster that included future Hall of Famers Lisa Leslie, Sheryl Swoopes, Dawn Staley, Teresa Edwards, Rebecca Lobo, and Katrina McClain. The squad's dominant performance helped elevate the global profile of women's basketball and contributed to the launch of the WNBA later that year.
Â
Washington, a two-time finalist for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, coached 31 seasons as the head coach at Kansas during her legendary career. She led the Jayhawks to a record of 560-363 from 1973-2004 to become the winningest coach in program history.
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Following her first season as the women's basketball coach in 1974, Washington started KU's intercollegiate women's track and field program and served as the head coach during its first year. She was also the first Athletics Director for Women's Athletics at the University of Kansas from 1974-79.
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From an early age, Washington was a trail blazer as she was the first of two black women to play on a United States National Team. She played for the national team from 1969-71, which included the 1971 World Championship in Sao Paulo, Brazil. In 1982, she became the first African American woman to serve as the coach of a United States international team. Washington was also the first to coach on an Olympic women's basketball staff, serving as an assistant on the 1996 gold-medal winning team.
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While at Kansas, Washington guided the Jayhawks to 11 NCAA Tournament appearances, reaching the Sweet 16 twice. She also led KU to two WNIT appearances and three AIAW Sectional finishes while claiming seven league titles and six conference tournament championships. Washington was honored as a conference Coach of the Year on three occasions, receiving Big Eight recognition in 1992 and 1996 and she was named the first Big 12 Coach of the Year in 1997.
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Washington received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Black Coaches Association (BCA) in 2003 and she was twice named the BCA Coach of the Year in 1992 and 1996. She was the first female to serve as president of the BCA as well as the first individual to serve consecutive terms as president of the organization.
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Washington played collegiately at West Chester State University, where she was a member of the first women's national championship team. Her West Chester State team finished unbeaten and won the National Women's Invitational Tournament in 1969, defeating Western Carolina for the title.
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Being inducted into a Hall of Fame is nothing new for Washington. While still coaching at Kansas, she was inducted into the West Chester State Women's Athletic Hall of Fame. She was originally inducted in 1988 for her playing career and in 2000 she became a member of the West Chester State Athletic Hall of Fame when the school's various Hall of Fames became consolidated. Following her retirement from KU, Washington was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in the Class of 2004.
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The University of Kansas proudly boasts its rich basketball history as Washington becomes the 21st former Jayhawk basketball student-athlete or coach to be enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, a list which includes 19 men (one two times) and two women. The latest Kansas addition was Paul Pierce, who was inducted in 2022. Overall, Kansas has seen its coaches and players named to the Hall of Fame 22 times, the most of any Division I school. The Hall of Fame is named in honor of the game's inventor and first KU head coach, Dr. James Naismith.
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Kansas women's basketball great Lynette Woodard, who played for Washington from 1977-81, was enshrined in the Naismith Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2004. Current Kansas men's basketball coach Bill Self was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2017.
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