Stevens Named 2020 Finalist for Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, along with Kobe, KG & Duncan
WALTHAM, Mass. – Bentley University's Barbara Stevens, the fourth winningest coach in NCAA women's basketball history, has been selected as one of eight finalists for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2020. The announcement was made during a press conference late Friday afternoon during the NBA All-Star Weekend in Chicago.
This is the second straight year that Stevens has been one of the finalists. She will enter Saturday's game at Southern New Hampshire with a 43-year career record of 1055-289, including 898-198 during 34 Bentley seasons.
Stevens is part of an eye-popping group of eight finalists that includes the late Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett and Tim Duncan. Also tabbed as finalists were former Houston Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich, Baylor head women's basketball coach Kim Mulkey, four-time Olympic gold medalist Tamika Catchings and four-time national coach of the year Eddie Sutton.
Bryant, Garnett, Duncan and Catchings are first time finalists while Stevens, Mulkey, Sutton and Tomjanovich have previously been finalists.
"I am humbled and honored to be part of this elite group," said Stevens. "To be included on such a list and be considered for the Basketball Hall of Fame is an incredible honor."
A head coach for six years at Clark University and for three at UMass before arriving at Bentley in 1986, Stevens trails only the Pat Summitt, Tara VanDerveer and Geno Auriemma on the all-time NCAA women's basketball win list.
Stevens' Bentley tenure has included the 2014 NCAA Division II National Championships, an .819 winning percentage, 31 NCAA tournament berths, 14 NCAA regional championships, ten appearances in the national semifinals, 12 30-win seasons (including five straight from 1989-93), 21 Northeast-10 regular season championships, and breaking the school record for consecutive wins seven times. Her teams have had 25 winning streaks of 10 games or longer.
Stevens joined the exclusive 1,000-win club just over two years ago, Jan. 17, 2018, with a 78-66 triumph over Adelphi. She's one of only six with that many victories and the only non-Division I coach to attain the milestone.
Stevens' list of honors include being named the WBCA Division II National Coach of the Year five times and the Northeast-10 Coach of the Year 15 times. In January 2019, the Barbara Stevens Court in Bentley's Dana Center was dedicated.
A 1976 graduate of Bridgewater State University, Stevens was inducted onto the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006 and the Bentley Athletic Hall of Fame the year before that. She's also in the New England Basketball Hall of Fame and both the Clark University and Bridgewater State University halls of fame.
"When the nominees for the Class of 2020 were announced in December, we knew this class had the potential of being one of the most historic of all time," said Jerry Colangelo, Chairman of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. "The untimely passing of Kobe Bryant has left us in a state of reflective mourning and we're proud to honor his legacy while also recognizing seven other individuals who have meant so much to our game. We congratulate our finalists and those who have supported them on their journeys, and we look forward to revealing the Class of 2020 at the Final Four in Atlanta."
Given the magnitude and the unique circumstance surrounding the potential Class of 2020, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Election Process Committee has suspended the Direct Election Categories for one year with the exception of the International Committee. The suspension will affect the Men's and Women's Veterans Committees, the Early African American Pioneer Committee, and the Contributor Committee. It is expected these categories will return for consideration for 2021. The goal of this suspension is to provide each enshrinee with the recognition and notoriety he or she deserves upon election.
The Hall of Fame Class of 2020 Announcement will take place on Saturday April 4th at 11:00 AM EST on ESPN from the NCAA Final Four in Atlanta, Georgia. A finalist needs 18 of 24 votes from the Honors Committee for election into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The Class of 2020 will be enshrined during festivities in Springfield, Massachusetts, the Birthplace of Basketball, August 28-30, 2020.