STEVENS BIO | NEW YORK TIMES FEATURE
2014 NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP HIGHLIGHTS | HALL OF FAME RELEASE
Stevens With Fourth-Most Career Victories in NCAA Women's Basketball History.
MANSFIELD, Mass. – Heading to the Hall of Fame! Legendary Bentley coach Barbara Stevens has cemented her legacy, being voted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Saturday as part of a star-studded 2020 Class.
The official announcement was made on ESPN, as Stevens joins NBA legends Kevin Garnett, Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncan, former NBA player and coach Rudy Tomjanovich, longtime NCAA men's coach Eddie Sutton, Baylor women's basketball coach Kim Mulkey, former WNBA star Tamika Catchings and the late Patrick Baumann, a former Secretary General of FIBA. The induction ceremony is scheduled during enshrinement weekend on Aug. 28-30 in Springfield, Mass.
"I am so honored, I am so humbled to be included in this unbelievable class of inductees into the Hall of Fame," said Stevens after learning of her election. "This is something that is overwhelming. The incredible emotions that I felt after receiving the call from the Hall of Fame Friday afternoon, I can't even put into words."
"The Class of 2020 is undoubtedly one of the most historic of all time and the talent and social influence of these nine honorees is beyond measure," said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. "In 2020, the basketball community has suffered the unimaginable loss of iconic figures Commissioner David Stern and Kobe Bryant, as well as the game itself due to COVID-19. We have also banded together like never before in appreciation of the game and those who have made it the uniting force it is today. Today we thank the Class of 2020 for all they have done for the game of basketball and we look forward to celebrating them at Enshrinement in August."
Stevens has spent 43 years as a women's basketball head coach, including a 34-year tenure at Bentley in the Northeast-10 Conference. She is one of only six women's coaches across all NCAA divisions to reach the 1,000-win plateau and the only non-Division I coach to hit that milestone. Her 1,058 career victories trail only Pat Summitt, Geno Auriemma and Tara VanDerveer on the all-time list.
During her time with the Falcons, Stevens' highlight came when her team captured the 2014 NCAA Division II National Championship with a perfect 35-0 season. Her career record in Waltham, Mass., stands at 901-200 (.818), including 31 NCAA Tournament berths, 14 NCAA regional titles, 10 appearances in the national semifinals and a dozen 30-win seasons.
Stevens' list of honors include being named the WBCA Division II National Coach of the Year on five occasions and the Northeast-10 Conference Coach of the Year 15 times. In January, 2019, the Barbara Stevens Court in Bentley's Dana Center was dedicated.
Prior to Saturday's announcement, Stevens was already a Hall of Fame honoree. In 2006, she was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, and is a 2005 Bentley Athletic Hall of Fame recipient. She's also in the New England Basketball Hall of Fame, as well as the Clark and Bridgewater State halls of fame.
Prior to Bentley, Stevens was head coach for three seasons at UMass (1983-86) and six seasons at Clark University (1977-83). She is a 1976 graduate of Bridgewater State University.
She has coached in the collegiate ranks for over 40 years and is the 5th coach in NCAA women's basketball history to reach 1,000 career wins. We congratulate 5x Russell Athletic / WBCA Division II National Coach of the Year Coach Barbara Stevens. #20HoopClass pic.twitter.com/d2hXZhVBDZ
— Basketball HOF (@Hoophall) April 4, 2020
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