TEAM PHOTOGRAPHS FIRST YEAR OF MODERN Era Razorback women’s basketball got its modern era start in 1976-77 playing to a 10-6 record. Arkansas had two consecutive three-game winning streaks this season and played notables such as Tulsa and Oral Roberts, two teams who still appear on Arkansas’ schedule. The Razorbacks were tough at home, going 6-0 that first season. Inaugural team member Joy Dillard returned to campus in 2011-12 joining Jeff Long in celebrating Black History Month.
1976-77
Front row, from left: Jeanette Cowherd, Deborah Cooper, Camille Yancey, Carol Ann Riggs, Joanie Johnston, Karen Osborne, Pat Keck; back row, from left: trainer Jerry Cohen, Debbie Roe, Marsha Lackey-Vining, Joyce Underdown, Joy Dillard, Celeste Holman, Tami Thompson, Deanna Barnes, manager Gail Saulsbury, head coach Sharon Ogle.
Coach Sharon Ogle 2 years, 24-15 (1976-1978)
1977-78
Front row, from left: Tamera Scherm, Mary Lynn Ederington, Peggy Price, Jeanette Cowherd, Carol Ann Riggs, Marsha Lackey-Vining, Camille Yancey; back row: manager Dianne Lewis, Sheila Burns, Kathy Rowland, Sherry Smith, Joy Dillard, Betsy Broyles, Debbie Roe, Melanie Browder, head coach Sharon Ogle, trainer Jerry Cohen.
Tasked with starting the women’s basketball team, Ogle in fact was restarting a program that existed briefly at the end of the 1960s as an “extramural” team. Aside from a continuous history of teams the following 30 years, the differences that set the 1976-77 team apart from previous squads to become the first varsity team were the official sanction of the Women’s Athletics Department, membership in the AIAW -- the national women’s collegiate rules body of the period -- and scholarship, albeit partial scholarships. Ogle also signed the first recruited athletes for women’s basketball the next season.
Monica Van Parys By virtue of the shorter seasons, Arkansas’ early teams own records that may never be broken. For example, the 1978-79 team allowed the fewest points (1,242) in a season, but also scored the fewest points (1,100).
1978-79
Unfortunately, the University of Arkansas does not have a team photo of the 1978-79 team, only this newspaper clipping of a team photo. The members of the 1978-79 team were: Betsy Broyles, Donna Buccella, Kathy Caton, Trisha Cooper, Sharon Delph, L’Anna Howard, Marsha Johnson, Peggy Price, Debbie Roe, Sandy Scranton, Lita Stricklin, Monica Van Parys. The head coach was Joan Henn with assistant coach Judy Grayston. If any former players have a copy of the team photograph, we would like to copy it for our records. Please contact Jeri Thorpe at the Athletic Media Relations office.
Cheryl Orcholski 133