Women's Basketball History

1913 Women's Basketball and Tennis Teams
This is the earliest known photo of a basketball team at LMU.

Hugh Trent Ramsey 1930-42 - 131-15-1*
(Coach Ramsey was the registrar for many years at LMU. He built the LMU women's program into a powerhouse, winning four state titles and tying for a fifth. The 1933 squad was listed by several sources as the best women's team in the southeastern U.S.)

J.D. "Swede" Alexander 1937 - 11-3*
(Coach Ramsey was at the University of Tennessee working on a degree this year, Alexander coached both men and women this season.)

C. W. Bradley 1944-45 - 8-2*
(A former player at LMU, Bradley returned to LMU to help teach classes during World War II. The 1944-45 season he coached both men's and women's programs.)

Women's sports continued at LMU from 1945-73 as intramural sports under the Women's Athletic Association. During this period, letters were still awarded to women who competed in the W.A.A.
In 1973, women's basketball was brought back as a result of Title IX, though with a limited schedule and without scholarships.

Phyllis Noah 1973-76 - 16-14*
(Coach Noah was instrumental in bringing back women's basketball at LMU. She has served as the Dean of the Education Department at LMU for many years until her retirement following the 2002-03 school year.)

Elaine Minton 1976-78 - 10-8*
(Coach Minton played for LMU as a student and later took over the coaching duties upon her graduation. Minton also founded and coached the softball and women's tennis teams. She was also Athletic Director for several years and was the person who hired Coach Vannoy.)

During the summer of 1978, the decision was made to offer scholarships and upgrade to a "full" schedule. The Volunteer State Athletic Conference also added women's basketball at this time, launching the "modern era" of women's basketball at LMU.

Dennis Mann 1978-79 - 15-14
(Mann did double-duty as both the women's head coach and the men's assistant coach.)

Dave Miller 1979-82 - 37-36
(Like Coach Mann, Miller also was the men's assistant coach in addition to his women's head coaching duties.)

Roger Vannoy 1982-2007 - 449-231 (retiring at end of 2006-07 season)
(record as of end of 2005-06 season)
(Coach Vannoy has not only become the winningest women's coach in LMU history but the winningest coach in any sport at LMU, passing Dean Bailey's record in the 1999-2000 season. He is currently on of the top coaches in the NCAA Division II in victories.)

* - based on available records