Eight Cavaliers Named to ACC 50th Anniversary Women's Basketball Team

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Sept. 25, 2002

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Eight former Cavaliers are members of the Atlantic Coast Conference 50th Anniversary Women’s Basketball Team, Commissioner John Swofford announced on Wednesday.

Representing Virginia are Val Ackerman (1978-81), Heather Burge (1990-93), Tonya Cardoza (1987-91), Dena Evans (1990-93), Donna Holt (1985-88), Wendy Palmer (1993-96), Tammi Reiss (1989-92), and Dawn Staley (1989-92).

Ackerman was a four-year starter and two-time Academic All-American. Also a two-time second-team all-state honoree and two-time All-ACC honoree, she graduated with high distinction. The Jettie Hill Award winner for the highest GPA among UVa women athletes, Ackerman received the UVa Distinguished Alumna Award in 1997. She was inducted into the GTA Academic All-America Hall of Fame in 1999. Currently the President of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), she serves on the Board of Directors of USA Basketball.

Burge was a two-time Academic All-American and a three-year member of the ACC Academic Honor Roll. A 1993 Kodak District All-American, she was a two-time NCAA East Regional All-tournament team honoree. Burge stands No. 2 on UVa’s all-time scoring list with 2,058 points and No. 2 in rebounding with 955 rebounds. A member of three consecutive Final Four teams, she earned ACC Player of the Year accolades in 1993. A two-time All-ACC first-team honoree, Burge was also named to the ACC All-tournament team twice.

Cardoza was a two-time All-ACC honoree and a 1991 Kodak District All-American. A three-time All-state honoree and a member of the 1991 Final Four Team, she was a two-time All-ACC selection. Named to the 1991 Final Four All-Tournament Team, Cardoza ranks No. 8 on UVa’s career scoring chart with 1,622 points. She participated in the 1987 Olympic Festival. Currently in her eighth season as an assistant coach with the national champion Connecticut women’s basketball team, she played professional basketball in Segovia, Spain, in 1992 following graduation from UVa.

Evans was a 1993 Academic All-American. The 1993 Francis Pomeroy Naismith Award winner as the National Player of the Year Under 5’6″, she was a three-time ACC honor roll honoree. Evans earned MVP honors at the 1993 ACC Tournament and was named to the 1993 NCAA East Regional All-Tournament team. A member of three consecutive Final Four teams, she was the team’s top three-point shooter in 1992 (.397) and 1993 (.412). Evans runs her own business, Hoops School, in Houston.

Holt was a two-time Kodak All-American and UVa’s first-ever Kodak All-American. The 1988 ACC Player of the Year, she was also a three-time All-ACC selection. Named the MVP of the 1987 ACC Tournament and to the 1988 NCAA East Regional All-Tournament Team, Holt is the UVa and ACC career steals leader with 529. She is one of just four Cavaliers to have her jersey (#11) retired.

Palmer was a two-time Associated Press All-American and a three-time Kodak District All-American. Also a two-time USBWA All-American, she became the first-ever UVa player to record 1,000 career points and 1,000 career rebounds. Palmer was a three-time first-team All-ACC honoree. A two-time ACC All-Tournament Team selection, she is UVa’s career rebounding leader with 1,221 boards in her career, the only UVa player to eclipse 1,000 rebounds. One of just four Cavaliers to have her jersey (#31) retired, Palmer just completed her first season with the Orlando Miracle and sixth year playing in the WNBA.

Reiss was a 1992 Academic All-American and a 1992 Kodak All-American. A three-time ACC Academic honor roll selection, she was a member of three consecutive Final Four Teams. A two-time ACC All-Tournament Team honoree and a four-time All-ACC honoree, Reiss ranks No. 4 on the UVa scoring chart with 1,842 points and ranks No. 3 in career three-pointers with 139 treys. She recently finished her second season as an assistant coach with the Utah Starzz after playing for the WNBA team for two seasons.

Staley was the most heralded player in Virginia women’s basketball history. The 1991 Honda-Broderick Cup Award winner, two-time Champion USA and WBCA Player of the Year and Naismith Player of the Year, she was the U.S. Basketball Writers Association Player of the Year. Also the 1991 Sports Illustrated Player of the Year and 1991 Honda Basketball Sports Award Winner, Staley was a two-time U.S. Basketball Writers Association All-American and three-time Kodak All-American. A two-time Mary Garber Award winner (ACC Female Athlete of the Year) and two-time ACC Player of the Year, she was a three-time first-team All-ACC member. Named to the 1991 and 1992 NCAA Final Four All-tournament teams, Staley earned Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Final Four in 1991. Also named the MVP of the 1992 ACC Tournament, she was a three-time ACC All-tournament team honoree. Currently the head women’s basketball coach at Temple University, Staley recently completed her fourth season as a player for the Charlotte Sting in the WNBA.

The 51-member team was voted on by a 27-member blue-ribbon committee that was selected by the league’s 50th Anniversary Committee.

North Carolina led all league schools with 11 members on the Golden Anniversary team, while NC State was second with nine honorees. Virginia and Maryland each had eight players selected, followed by Duke (5), Clemson (4), and Florida State, Georgia Tech and Wake Forest with two.

ACC 50th Anniversary Women’s Basketball Team

Val Ackerman, Virginia, 1978-81, Pennington, N.J.;LaQuanda Barksdale, N. Carolina, 1998-01, Winston-Salem, N.C.;Jessica Barr, Clemson, 1992-94, Batesburg, S.C.;Alana Beard, Duke, 2000-02, Shreveport, La.;Genia Beasley, NC State, 1977-80, Benson, N.C.;Tresa Brown, North Carolina, 1981-84, Raleigh, N.C.;Vicky Bullett, Maryland, 1986-89, Martinsburg, W.Va.;Heather Burge, Virginia, 1990-93, Palos Verdes Est., Calif.;Tonya Cardoza, Virginia, 1987-91, Roxbury, Mass.;Tracy Connor, Wake Forest, 1993-97, Landis, N.C.;Sylvia Crawley, North Carolina, 1991-94, Wintersville, Ohio;Summer Erb, NC State, 1998-00, Lakewood, Ohio;Dena Evans, Virginia, 1990-93, Deer Park, Texas ;Chrissy Floyd, Clemson, 1999-02, Laurens, S.C.;Kisha Ford, Georgia Tech, 1994-97, Baltimore, Md.;Tara Heiss, Maryland, 1975-78, Bethesda, Md.;Jessie Hicks, Maryland, 1990-93, Richmond, Va.;Donna Holt, Virginia, 1985-88, Chicago, Ill.;Marion Jones, North Carolina, 1994-97, Thousand Oaks, Calif.;Barbara Kennedy, Clemson, 1979-82, Rome, Ga.;Kris Kirchner, Maryland, 1977-80, College Park, Md.;Trudi Lacey, NC State, 1978-81, Clifton Forge, Va.;Pam Leake, North Carolina, 1983-86, Chapel Hill, N.C.;Marsha Mann, North Carolina, 1975, Dunn, N.C.;Rhonda Mapp, NC State, 1989-92, Asheville, N.C.;Bernadette McGlade, North Carolina, 1977-80, Glouster City, N.J.;Katie Meier, Duke, 1986-90, Wheaton, Ill.;Chasity Melvin, NC State, 1995-98, Roseboro, N.C.;Jenny Mitchell, Wake Forest, 1988-91, Roanoke, Va.;Chris Moreland, Duke, 1985-88, Alexandria, Va.;Linda Page, NC State, 1982-85, Philadelphia, Pa.;Wendy Palmer, Virginia, 1993-96, Timberlake, N.C.;Tia Paschal, Florida State, 1990-93, Thomson, Ga.;Jasmina Perazic, Maryland, 1980-83, Novisad, Yugoslavia;Joyce Pierce. Georgia Tech, 1991-93, Norcross, Ga.;Tracy Reid, North Carolina, 1995-98, Miami, Fla;.Tammi Reiss, Virginia, 1989-92, Eldred, N.Y.;Marcia Richardson, Maryland, 1981-84, Rocky Mount, N.C.;Tonya Sampson, North Carolina, 1991-94, Clinton, N.C.;Georgia Schweitzer, Duke, 1998-01, Columbus, Ohio;Charlotte Smith, North Carolina, 1992-95, Shelby, N.C.;Dawn Staley, Virginia, 1989-92, Philadelphia, Pa.;Andrea Stinson, NC State, 1989-91, Cornelius, N.C.;Deanna Tate, Maryland, 1986-89, Gastonia, N.C.;Nikki Teasley, North Carolina, 1998-02, Washington, D.C.;Trena Trice, NC State, 1984-87, Chesapeake, Va.;Itoro Umoh, Clemson, 1996-99, Hephziba, Ga.;Michele VanGorp, Duke, 1997-99, Macomb, Mich.;Christy Winters, Maryland, 1987-90, Reston, Va.;Brooke Wyckoff, Florida State, 1998-01, West Chester, Ohio;Susan Yow, NC State, 1975-76, Gibsonville, N.C.