2012-13 ARMY WOMEN’S BASKETBALL HISTORY ON THE HARDWOOD Seeded fourth at the tournament, Army upended top-seed St. John’s 69-66 in overtime, but lost in the finals to C.W. Post, 69-59. Army and Navy also met for the first time in a predetermined draw at the Burger King Classic sponsored by Dartmouth with Army claiming a 6548 victory. Kim Hall closed out the season as the team’s leading scorer (11.8 ppg.) and rebounder (7.8 rpg.). In early February, she became the first woman in Academy history to score 1,000 points. 1981-82 Facing one of the most challenging schedules in history, a young and inexperienced team turned in a strong showing in the first Metro Atlantic Conference championships, bowing to St. Peter’s in the finals, 65-51, en route to a 15-14 mark. Pat Walter became the second Black Knight to reach the 1,000-points milestone, breaking Kim Hall’s mark by two points (1,108). Yearling Melody Smith, named to the MAAC all-tournament team, topped the team in scoring (10.2 ppg.) and was the only player in double figures. 1982-83 Army suffered its first losing campaign, struggling to an 11-16 mark in its final year in the MAAC (4-6) and Division I. It would be eight years before Army returned to Division I level of competition. Army enjoyed depth in the frontcourt, but lacked that ingredient in the backcourt. Smith, an All-MAAC pick, led the team in scoring with a 16.5 ppg., hitting 48.5 percent from the floor and 85.4 percent from the stripe. Plebe Pam Pearson finished second in scoring (9.7 ppg.) and led the team in rebounding (9.3 rpg.), while Alma Cobb wasn’t far behind in averaging eight caroms a game. 1983-84 Army’s introduction to Division II proved an incredible success. Armed with a fast-breaking style of basketball, Coach Harold Johnson led the Black Knights to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division II Tournament
and a school record 25-3 mark. Army, ranked fifth nationally at the conclusion of the season, won the New York State R.T. French Women’s Cup and was the Eastern Regional champion. A clutch basket by freshman Laurie Goetz and four free throws by Melody Smith in the final 28 seconds carried Army to a 59-53 victory over Utica in an NCAA Division II East Regional game at the Army Field House. That win earned Army a trip to the NCAA quarterfinals where it faced Valdosta State, ranked third nationally, on St. Patrick’s Day. Luck was not with the Black Knights whose 10-game winning streak was snapped in a 92-65 defeat. The Lady Blazers broke open a 17-17 game by pulling away 36-25 with 3:52 left until intermission, then pulled out to a 10-point lead at halftime. Valdosta State stretched its lead to 16 and Army was unable to mount a comeback. Foul shooting proved a factor as Army shot 33 percent and the Lady Blazers hit 71 percent. Jenni Moehringer led Army with a career-high 24 points and Pam Pearson chipped in with 15. Both were named to the all-tournament team. Smith became the third Black Knight to score 1,000 points along with becoming Army’s all-time scoring leader just nine games into the season. She scored 409 points her final year in closing out her career with a school record 1,420 points that stood for another 20 years. Pearson, who broke the school single-game rebounding mark with 22 against St. Francis (Ill.), became the first women’s basketball player named to an All-America squad with her selection to the second team by the American Women’s Sports Federation. Johnson was named the Northeast Region “Coach of the Year” along with being selected an All-America Coach.
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defeated Navy, 66-53, for the third straight time in Army’s new showcase, Christl Arena. The Black Knights were fourth in the Empire State Conference regular-season standings, reached the semis of the playoffs and were runner-up at the ECAC South Division II playoffs. Julie DelGiorno wrote her name into the record book in several categories her final year. She shattered the season scoring mark with 476 points to move into second place on the career charts with 1,270 points. She also climbed into the No. 2 spot in rebounding with 827 rebounds while bettering the school record for career steals (175). In addition to garnering second team All-America honors, DelGiorno was selected first team all-region and all-league. Johnson was named a College Division All-America coach for the third straight year.
1984-85
1986-87
Army just missed a winning season (14-15), but the Black Knights continued their assault on the record books. Pam Pearson reached the 1,000 point plateau at the conclusion of her junior year, the first player to do so in three years. She shattered Kim Hall’s record for career rebounds, and her mark of 881, set over a three-year period, has yet to be matched. Pearson repeated as a second team AllAmerica and won several conference and regional awards. Her frontcourt mate, Julie DelGiorno, was an honorable mention All-America, while Harold Johnson again was selected an All-America coach. DelGiorno topped the team in scoring with 14.9 ppg. and was second in rebounding at 8.6 in grabbing 240. Pearson was the rebounding leader with 317 (10.9 ppg.) and was second in scoring (14.4 ppg.). Sophomore Laurie Goetz also broke into double figures in averaging 10.1 ppg. along with dishing off 111 assists. The Black Knights reached the semifinals of the Empire State playoffs, closing out the regularseason league play tied for third with a 7-5 mark. Drawing a home berth, Army defeated New York Tech in the quarterfinals, 74-62, to advance to the semis where they fell to Mercy, 90-80. The season highlight was a two-point (54-52) win at Navy.
Army turned in its best performance in the Empire State Conference to date after claiming the runner-up spot in both the regular-season and playoffs to close the books on an 18-14 campaign. It proved a banner year for team captain Laurie Goetz who shattered six school marks. The four-year “floor general” broke the record for points in a game (39) and season (568) in closing out her career as the second-leading scorer in school history with 1,331 points. Her record for points in a game has yet to be equaled. Goetz also set assist marks on season (129) and career (436) levels as well as career steals (168). At one point, she ranked 12th among the NCAA Division II scoring leaders. Among the many accolades she earned was third team All-America honors and being selected the Empire State’s “Player of the Year.” Johnson picked up his fourth All-America coaching certificate in his final year at the helm. He departed as the all-time winningest head coach with 123 victories in closing out a seven-year run. Both marks would later be broken by his assistant, Lynn Chiavaro.
1985-86
1980-81: Kim Hall becomes the first woman in Army history to score 1,000 career points.
1985-86: Harold Johnson earned his 100th career win at the helm of the Black Knights, and was named the College Division All-America coach for the third consecutive year.
The season proved significant as Harold Johnson posted his 100th career win at the Army helm in a 19-11 campaign. The Black Knights
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1987-88 Chiavaro was elevated to the head position after serving for five years as Harold Johnson’s top assistant. She became the fourth mentor to take over the reins and second woman to head the young program.
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