Debbie Black

Debbie Black
Sport(s) Basketball
Current position
Title Head coach
Team Eastern Illinois
Conference OVC
Biographical details
Born (1966-07-29) July 29, 1966
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Playing career
1984–1988 Saint Joseph's
1988–1996 Tasmanian Islanders (WNBL)
1996–1999 Colorado Xplosion (ABL)
1999–2000 Utah Starzz (WNBA)
2000–2002 Miami Sol (WNBA)
2002–2005 Connecticut Sun (WNBA)
Position(s) Guard
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1999–2000 Vanderbilt (asst.)
2005–2013 Ohio State (asst.)
2013–present Eastern Illinois
Medal record
Competitor for  United States
women's national basketball team
Jones Cup
1985 Taipei Team Competition

Debbie Black (born July 29, 1966)[1] is a women's basketball former player and current coach. During her professional career, Black played for the Women's National Basketball League in Australia, the American Basketball League and the Women's National Basketball Association. She retired from the Connecticut Sun of the WNBA in 2005.[2] Black was an assistant coach for the Ohio State University before being named he head coach of the Eastern Illinois University Women's Basketball team on May 16, 2013.

College years

Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Black is a 1984 graduate of Philadelphia's Archbishop Wood High School. Black played for St. Joseph's University and graduated in 1988. While there she helped lead the Hawks to two Philadelphia Big 5 championships and an Atlantic 10 Conference title. A multi-sport athlete, Black earned 12 varsity letters in basketball, field hockey, and softball.[3]

USA Basketball

Black was named to the team representing the USA at the William Jones Cup competition in Taipei, Taiwan. The USA team had a 7–1 record and won the gold medal in a close final against Japan, winning 56–54. Black had 8 rebounds and 3 steals in the competition.[4]

WNBL career

Black played eight seasons with the Tasmanian Islanders (1989–96) of the WNBL in Australia. She helped the team win national titles in 1991 and 1995.[5]

ABL career

Black played for the Colorado Xplosion and was also an All-Star selection for the ABL. Black is the only professional female basketball player to have accomplished, and is one of very few basketball players (male or female) ever to accomplish a quadruple double (10 points, 14 rebounds, 12 assists, 10 steals); she accomplished this feat against the Atlanta Glory on Dec. 8, 1996. She received Defensive Player of the Year honors in 1997.[5]

WNBA career

Black was drafted 15th overall by the Utah Starzz in 2nd round of the 1999 WNBA Draft. She then played for the Miami Sol from 2000 to 2002. While playing for the Sol, she earned the WNBA Defensive Player of the Year Award at the age of 35. In 2003, Black was acquired by the Connecticut Sun during the dispersal draft. She played for the Sun until her retirement in 2005.[5]

Throughout Black's basketball career, her energy, intensity, and toughness were well-known among her teammates and opponents alike. Her relentless defense earned her the nickname "The Pest."[6] At 5' 2.5", she was the shortest player in the WNBA, just half an inch taller than Los Angeles Sparks point guard Shannon Bobbitt and just edging out Temeka Johnson. She is a half inch shorter than the shortest NBA player in history, Muggsy Bogues.[7] During 1999 she played on the Utah Starzz with the tallest WNBA player, 7'2" Małgorzata Dydek.

Coaching career

Black entered the coaching ranks as an assistant to her college coach, Jim Foster at Vanderbilt in 1999-2000, with the team advancing to the second round of the NCAA tournament. She rejoined Foster at Ohio State in 2005. Her eight seasons there saw the Buckeyes make seven trips to the NCAA Tournament as she worked as a recruiter and specialist in developing guards.[8] On May 16, 2013, Black was named the head coach of the Eastern Illinois Panthers.[2]

Coaching Record

Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Eastern Illinois Panthers (Ohio Valley Conference) (2013–present)
2013–14 EIU 12–16 7–9 t-2nd West
2014–15 EIU 10–20 7–9 t-7th
2015–16 EIU 3–25 2–14 12th
Eastern Illinois Panthers (Ohio Valley Conference) (2013–present)
Eastern Illinois Panthers: 25–61 16–32
Total: 25–61

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

Vital statistics

Playing stats

St. Joseph's University

At graduation:

Professional

At retirement:

References

  1. ↑ "Women's Basketball Coaches Career". NCAA. Retrieved 30 Sep 2015.
  2. 1 2 Eastern Illinois University - Debbie Black Named EIU Women's Basketball Coach
  3. ↑ ISSUU - 2011-12 Saint Joseph's University Women's Basketball Media Guide by Saint Joseph's Athletics
  4. ↑ "1985 WOMEN'S R. WILLIAM JONES CUP". USA Basketball. Retrieved 3 August 2014.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Greenberg, Mel (November 9, 2012). "Debbie Black: "Never Missed A Game Or Practice In My 30 Years"". Womhoops Guru. Retrieved 10 Jun 2013.
  6. ↑ NOT A SHORT STORY AT ALL, Philadelphia Inquirer
  7. ↑ Inch by Inch: The Alltime, All-Size All-Stars
  8. ↑ http://grfx.cstv.com/schools/osu/graphics/pdf/w-baskbl/1213-guide.pdf
  9. ↑ "2010 Honorees". Bucks County Sports Hall of Fame. Retrieved 10 Jun 2013.
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