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Timeline of women's basketball

1881–1890

1885

1891–1900

1891

1892

1893

1894

  • RULE Change—Dribbling and guarding another player prohibited

1895

  • Clara Gregory Baer writes the first book of rules for women's basketball.
  • The first public women's basketball game in the South is played at a men's only club, the Southern Athletic Club.

1896

  • First intercollegiate contest between the University of California, Berkeley and Stanford was held on April 4, 1896. Stanford won, 2–1.

1897

  • First recorded women's basketball game in Australia, played in Victoria, using wet paper bags for baskets.
  • First women's high school game between Austin High and Oak Park. Won by Austin 16–4.

1899

  • Senda Berenson publishes the first issue of Basketball Guide for Women, which she would edit and update for eighteen years. These rules, with minor modifications, would remain in use until the 1960s.
  • Stanford abolishes intercollegiate competition of women. (The players formed an independent club team).

1901–1910

1904

  • Stanford rescinds the prohibition against intercollegiate competition of women.

1906

  • Women's basketball featured on the cover of the Saturday Evening Post

1911–1920

1913

  • RULE Change—A single dribble is permitted as long as it bounces knee-high

1914

  • RULE Change—Half-court play is allowed.

1915

  • The Edmonton Grads, then known as the Commercial High School basketball team, won the Intercollegiate Basketball League. They would go on to play as the Grads, with a record of 502–20 between 1915 and 1940. James Naismith would go on to refer to them as "the finest basketball team that ever stepped out on a floor".

1916

  • RULE Change—Coaching from sidelines prohibited during game, except for halftime

1918

  • RULE Change—The bottom of the basket is removed. Substitutes allowed for first time (but cannot re-enter game). The bounce pass is allowed

1921–1930

1921

1926

1927

  • RULE Change—Players must wear a number on the back

1931–1940

1932

  • RULE Change—guarding another player first allowed
  • FIBA, the International Basketball Federation, is formed in Geneva.

1936

  • RULE Change—the first time a guard, called a "rover" was allowed to play the entire court
  • The All American Red Heads Team a barnstorming professional team was formed. They were the first professional women's basketball team. They would go on to tour the country for 50 years, playing men's teams using men's rules.

1938

  • RULE Change—The court is now divided into two sections, rather than three. Team size remains six players each.

1941–1950

1947

  • RULE Change—Players must wear a number on the front and the back

1949

  • Hazel Walker became the first woman to own a professional basketball team, the Arkansas Travelers.
  • RULE Change—Players now allowed a two-bounce dribble. (Continuous dribble used in experimental season, but not adopted)

1951–1960

1951

  • RULE Change—Coaching from sidelines during time outs permitted

1953

  • First FIBA World Championship for Women
: Gold—USA
: Silver—Chile
: Bronze—France

1955

  • Missouri (Arledge) Morris—named an All-American, the first black AAU All-American
  • RULE Change—Three second rule implemented. Players in the offensive lane may not hold the ball for more than three seconds.

1957

  • FIBA World Championship for Women
: Gold—USA
: Silver—Soviet Union
: Bronze—Czechoslovakia

1958

  • Wayland Baptist won 131 consecutive games, a streak that extends from 1954 to 1958.

1959

  • FIBA World Championship for Women
: Gold—Soviet Union
: Silver—Bulgaria
: Bronze—Czechoslovakia

1961–1970

1962

  • First women officials in AAU national tournament—Fran Koening and Carol Walter
  • RULE Change—Two "rovers" allowed (players permitted to run the entire court)

1964

  • FIBA World Championship for Women
: Gold—Soviet Union
: Silver—Czechoslovakia
: Bronze—Bulgaria

1966

  • RULE Change—Continuous dribble allowed

1967

  • FIBA World Championship for Women
: Gold—Soviet Union
: Silver—Korea
: Bronze—Czechoslovakia

1968

  • RULE Change—Coaching from sidelines during game permitted

1969

  • Carol Eckman forms the first National Invitational Women's Intercollegiate Basketball Tournament
  • Nera White is named an AAU All-American for the 15th consecutive year.
  • West Chester (Pennsylvania) defeated Western Carolina 65–39 in the CIAW invitational tournament

1970

1971–1980

1971

  • FIBA World Championship for Women
: Gold—Soviet Union
: Silver—Czechoslovakia
: Bronze—Brazil
  • RULE Change—Full court, five player game instituted for first time for collegiate and AAU games. A thirty-second shot clock was also implemented.
  • The Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) formed to govern collegiate women's athletics in the United States and to administer national championships. The transition from the CIAW to the AIAW covered a ten-month period starting in April 1971.
  • Mississippi State College for Women defeated West Chester 57–55 in the CIAW invitational tournament

1972

1973

  • First (partial) scholarships offered to female students
  • UBC Thunderbirds won the Bronze Baby, awarded to the CIAU winner in women's basketball
  • Immaculata defeated Queens (New York) 59–52 in the AIAW invitational tournament

1974

1975

  • The first nationally televised game is played by Maryland and Immaculata. Some sources report that Immaculata won 80–48, while others report 85–63.
  • First Kodak All-American team is named.
  • FIBA World Championship for Women
: Gold—Soviet Union
: Silver—Japan
: Bronze—Czechoslovakia

1976

  • First Olympic competition for women
: Gold—Soviet Union
: Silver—USA
: Bronze—Bulgaria

1977

1978

1979

  • FIBA World Championship for Women
: Gold—USA
: Silver—Korea
: Bronze—Canada

1980

  • Olympic competition for women
: Gold—Soviet Union
: Silver—Bulgaria
: Bronze—Yugoslavia

1981–1990

1981

1982

1983

: Gold—Soviet Union
: Silver—USA
: Bronze—Chile

1984

  • RULE Change—The ball circumference for NCAA play is reduced by one inch (to 28.5–29 inches) compared to the ball used previously, and used by men. This size ball is also called size 6.
  • Olympic competition for women
: Gold—USA
: Silver—Korea
: Bronze—China

1985

1986

: Gold—USA
: Silver—Soviet Union
: Bronze—Canada

1987

1988

  • Olympic competition for women
: Gold—USA
: Silver—Yugoslavia
: Bronze—Soviet Union

1989

1990

: Gold—USA
: Silver—Yugoslavia
: Bronze—Cuba

1991–2000

1991

1992

  • Olympic competition for women
: Gold—Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)
: Silver—China
: Bronze—USA

1993

1994

  • FIBA World Championship for Women
: Gold—Brazil
: Silver—China
: Bronze—Cuba

1995

1996

  • Olympic competition for women
: Gold—USA
: Silver—Brazil
: Bronze—Australia

1997

1998

: Gold—USA
: Silver—Russia
: Bronze—Australia

1999

2000

  • Olympic competition for women
: Gold—USA
: Silver—Australia
: Bronze—Brazil

2001–2010

2001

2002

  • FIBA World Championship for Women
: Gold—USA
: Silver—Russia
: Bronze—Australia

2003

2004

  • Olympic competition for women
: Gold—USA
: Silver—Australia
: Bronze—Russia

2005

2006

  • FIBA World Championship for Women
: Gold—Australia
: Silver—Russia
: Bronze—USA

2007

2008

  • Olympic competition for women
: Gold—USA
: Silver—Australia
: Bronze—Russia

2009

2010

  • FIBA World Championship for Women
: Gold—USA
: Silver—Czech Republic
: Bronze—Spain

2011–2020

2011

2012

  • Olympic competition for women
: Gold—USA
: Silver—France
: Bronze—Australia

2013

2014

  • FIBA World Championship for Women
: Gold—USA
: Silver—Spain
: Bronze—Australia
This was the last event known as the "FIBA World Championship for Women". Shortly after the 2014 edition, the competition was renamed the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup.

2015

2016

  • Olympic competition for women
: Gold—USA
: Silver—Spain
: Bronze—Serbia

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021–2030

2021

2022

2023

2024

2025

See also

Notes

References

  • Berenson, Senda (1901). . New York: American Sports Publishing Company. at Internet Archive