USA BASKETBALL HISTORY
USA WOMEN’S OLYMPIC AND PRE-OLYMPIC QUALIFYING TEAM 1976 RESULTS
HAMILTON, ONTARIO, CANADA • JUNE 22-JULY 3, 1976
The first women’s Olympic basketball tournament was held in 1976, and the United States women wanted to go to the very exclusive party their neighbors to the north were hosting. There was just one glitch to overcome -- the USA finished in a distant eighth place at the 1975 FIBA World Championship and failed to earn a berth to the Games. Canada, as host country, was assured of a berth. The Soviet Union, Japan and Czechoslovakia, winners of 1975 World gold, silver and bronze medals, respectively, each took one of the six Olympic slots, leaving two entries to be filled. The United States headed to Ontario looking to claim one of those at the 1976 Pre-Olympic Qualifying Tournament with the team that would eventually capture the silver medal at the Games in Montreal. In all, nine nations participated in the tournament, and the U.S. was placed in a preliminary round pool along with France, Mexico and Poland. Ripping through its first contest for an 80-57 victory over Mexico, the USA defeated France 71-59 and closed out preliminary play with an 84- 66 trouncing of Poland. The USA and Poland, with a 2-1 record, advanced to the final round. In Group B, which included Bulgaria, Cuba, Great Britain, Italy and South Korea, there was a three-way tie atop the standings as Bulgaria, Cuba and South Korea had identical 3-1 records. By virtue of FIBA’s tie-break- ing formula Bulgaria and Cuba headed to the final round to face the United States and Poland. In round robin play, which saw the USA-Poland and Bulgaria-Cuba scores from the preliminary round count toward the final round standings, the U.S. downed Cuba 89-73 with the help of 14 points apiece from Pat Head and Patricia Roberts and 12 from Lusia Harris. In its final contest the USA clipped Bulgaria 76-75 to remain undefeated and claim the gold medal. The final 1976 Olympic berth came down to another tiebreaker as the three remaining teams held 1-2 marks in the final round. However, based on point differential, Bulgaria narrowly edged out the other nations for the silver medal and went on to claim bronze in Montreal.
1976 USA WOMEN’S PRE-OLYMPIC QUALIFYING TEAM ROSTER
1976 USA RESULTS (5-0)
NAME
POS HGT WGT AGE AFFILIATION (SCHOOL)
HOMETOWN
Mexico France Poland
W, 80-57 W, 71-59 W, 84-66 W, 89-73 W, 76-75
Cindy Brogdon Nancy Dunkle
F C F F C F F G G G G F
5-10 6-2 6-2 6-2 5-9 5-10 5-11 5-8 5-10
155 155 180 155 180 140 165 135 158 150 135 156
19 21 21 24 20 18 21 20 23 21 22 23
Tennessee
Buford, GA
California State Fullerton
Fullerton La Habra, CA
Lusia Harris Pat Head
Delta State
Minter City, MS Ashland City, TN Far Rockaway, NY St. Albans, NY Peoria, IL La Habra, CA Fairfield, CT Monroe, GA Worcester, MA Roselle Park, NJ
Cuba
Tennessee-Martin
Bulgaria
Charlotte Lewis Nancy Lieberman
Illinois State
Far Rockaway High School
Gail Marquis Ann Meyers
Queens College
UCLA
FINAL STANDINGS
Mary Anne O’Conner
Southern Connecticut State
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
*United States (3-0)
Patricia Roberts Sue Rojcewicz Juliene Simpson
6-1 5-7 5-6
Tennessee
*Bulgaria (3-3) Poland (4-1)
Southern Connecticut State John F. Kennedy College
HEAD COACH: Billie Moore, Cal State University, Fullerton ASSISTANT COACH: Sue Gunter, Stephen F. Austin University (TX) MANAGER: Jeanne Rowlands, Northeastern University (MA) ATHLETIC TRAINER: Gail Weldon, Western Illinois University
Cuba (4-2)
Great Britain (0-4) France (1-2) Italy (1-2) Mexico (0-3) South Korea (3-1)
1976 USA WOMEN’S PRE-OLYMPIC QUALIFYING TEAM CUMULATIVE STATISTICS
NAME
G/S
FGM-A
PCT
FTM-A
PCT
REB
PTS
A
STL
USA TOTALS 5 OPP. TOTALS 5
400/ 80.0 330/ 66.0
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