Kodak All-Americans When a program’s won 1,139 games, participated in 31 national postseason tournaments including 27 NCAA Tournaments, advanced to 13 Final Fours, competed in eight national championship games and won three national titles, then it’s been fortunate enough to recruit some of the top players in the history of the women’s game. That’s just what Louisiana Tech has accomplished. Over the 46 years of Lady Techster basketball, the Memorial Gym and Thomas Assembly Center crowds have watched 11 Kodak AllAmericans suit up in the Columbia blue and red Tech uniform. The names ring like a who’s who in the history of the game - Pam Kelly, Angela Turner, Janice Lawrence, Pam Gant, Teresa Weatherspoon, Nora Lewis, Venus Lacy, Vickie Johnson, Debra Williams, Amanda Wilson and Tamicha Jackson. Four of those individuals - Kelly, Lawrence, Weatherspoon and Johnson - have won the award multiple times thus Tech can claim 16 Kodak All-Americans.
PAM KELLY
(1978-82) Kodak Year(s): 1980, 1981, 1982 When people think about some of the most dominating post players in the history of women’s basketball, Louisiana Tech’s Pam Kelly has to be near the top of the list. Despite the fact Kelly was a mere 6-foot tall, the Columbia, La., native recorded one of the most remarkable careers in Lady Techster history. Tech’s only three-time Kodak All-America honoree first ever recipient, Kelly led Tech to two national championships - the 1980-81 AIAW title and the 1981-82 NCAA title. During her four year career, the 1982 Wade Trophy winner scored an incredible 2,979 points and grabbed 1,511 rebounds while leading the Lady Techsters to a 143-10 record - the most wins ever over a four-year period in the history of the program. Almost 20 years after Kelly’s playing days ended, she still ranks No. 1 in scoring, No. 1 in rebounding, No. 1 in field goals made (1,193), No.1 in free throws made (593), No. 2 in scoring average (19.5) and No. 7 in steals (274). Kelly - whose number is retired - was enshrined in the Louisiana Tech Athletic Hall of Fame in 1984 and the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2007.
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ANGELA TURNER
(1978-1982) Kodak Year(s): 1982 Known affectionately as A.T. by all Lady Techster fans, the sharp-shooting Angela Turner is still considered today as one of the best allaround players in the history of Tech basketball. A key component to Tech’s early success in women’s basketball, Turner helped lead the Lady Techsters to four straight Final Fours and two national championship titles - the 1981
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AIAW and the 1982 NCAA. The Saline, La., native started from day one at Tech, averaging 16.0 points and 6.5 rebounds her freshman season, earning her the Louisiana Most Valuable Player award. Her sophomore year was even more impressive as Turner scored 817 points, which still stands No. 2 in the Tech record books for most points in a single season. Turner, who earned her Kodak AllAmerican award her senior season as Tech won its second straight national championship title, exemplified the term studentathlete as she also garnered an NCAA Post Graduate Scholarship. Today, Turner is the only Lady Techster to rank in the Top 10 in points (No. 3 with 2,262), rebounds (No. 6 with 1,073), assists (No. 8 with 466) and steals (No. 3 with 358). She also ranks No. 2 in field goals made (1,021). Her No. 5 jersey has been retired at Tech.
JANICE LAWRENCE
(1980-1984) Kodak Year(s): 1983, 1984 Many people argue that Janice Lawrence is the greatest player in Louisiana Tech Lady Techster history - an argument that has plenty of factual support. The 6-foot, 3-inch center dominated women’s basketball during her four years at Tech, leading the Lady Techsters to a 136-6 record from 1980 through 1984. Even with her size, Lawrence possessed the ability to shot the 15-footer or put the ball and the floor and go past a defender at any time. The Lucedale, Miss., native participated in four Final Fours and won two national championships during her career while earning almost every individual honor imaginable. Lawrence earned her first Kodak All-American honor following a junior season that saw her average 20.8 points a game. However, that was just the beginning of her accolades. After her senior year, Lawrence earned Kodak All-American honors, and won the Wade Trophy and the Champion Player of the Year award. Today, Lawrence ranks No. 2 in points (2,403), No. 3 in scoring average (17.8), No. 5 in rebounds (1,097), No. 4 in blocked shots (189) and No. 5 in steals (291). Lawrence proceeded to win
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a gold medal in the 1984 Olympic games in Los Angeles before playing for three seasons with the WNBA’s Cleveland Rockers. Lawrence, whose jersey has been retired at Tech, was inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in July of 2005 and the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006.
PAM GANT
(1982-85) Kodak Year(s): 1985 Without a doubt the deadliest outside shooter in the history of Lady Techster basketball is Pam Gant. The 5-foot-7-inch guard lettered at Tech from 1982 through 1985 and unfortunately played prior to the NCAA’s adoption of the three-point line in women’s basketball. Her outside shooting prowess was known across the nation as Gant connected on an incredible 54.6 percent of her field goal attempts during her four-year career, including an even more amazing 57.5 percent her junior and senior seasons. Gant played on three Final Four teams, including the 1981-82 NCAA National Championship team as a freshman. The Joliet, Illinois, native earned her Kodak All-American honor following the 1984-85 season, one in which Gant averaged 23.6 points a game - still a Louisiana Tech record. She recorded two games of 40-plus points during her career (second only to Sheila Ethridge’s three) including a career-best of 42 points in a win over Penn State and six games of 30-plus points. Gant currently ranks No. 12 in points (1,714), and No. 8 in steals (253).
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