The Women's Basketball Hall of Fame did not exist when Rebecca Lobo was growing up in Southwick, Mass. Neither did the WNBA. For that matter, the town could not get enough girls to sign up to form a team in a recreation league when Lobo was in fifth grade.
But that never stopped Lobo from daydreaming about being in the Hall of Fame as she played on the court at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in nearby Springfield. Lobo once even put one of her dreams in writing, addressing it to Boston Celtics legend Arnold (Red) Auerbach.
"My mother had delivered it to him at a Celtics game, and in that letter, (Rebecca) said she dreamed of being the first woman player for the NBA,'' said RuthAnn Lobo, Rebecca's mother. "Well, at the time, we all smiled. There wasn't any dream at that time beyond being a good college player. (But) you never can negate a child's dream, because if they work hard enough at it and if the timing is right and if the pieces are in place, good things do happen.''
From the time Lobo spent playing basketball in the driveway with her brother, Jason, and her sister, Rachel, to her record-setting career at Southwick-Tolland High School, her groundbreaking career at UConn, her Olympic gold medal and her career in the WNBA, Lobo never did stop working diligently. And Saturday night, she formally will be recognized as one of the greatest players and most influential individuals in the history of the sport when she is inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in Knoxville, Tenn.
Lobo, 36, will become the first player from UConn inducted into the Women's Hall of Fame, which opened in 1999. Huskies coach Geno Auriemma was inducted in 2006. She will be joined in a six-member class -- the 12th overall -- by Teresa Edwards, Teresa Weatherspoon, Chris Weller, Gloria Ray and Leta Andrews.
The class will bring the number of inductees to 115.
"Understanding that it's because of the teams I was on, I'm thrilled,'' said Lobo, now a commentator for ESPN. "I found out, I think it was just about a year ago, and the farther away I get from initially having been told, the more excited I get and kind of the more honored I am. And I think it's going to stay that way sort of for the rest of my life.''
In order to be considered for induction, a player must be retired from the highest level of play for at least five years.
Lobo will be escorted by her parents, RuthAnn and Dennis. Auriemma will serve as her video presenter. Her husband, Steve Rushin; UConn associate head coach Chris Dailey; Jack Eisenmann, UConn's director of basketball operations; former teammate Kara Wolters; and former UConn assistant coach/Temple head coach Tonya Cardoza will be in attendance at the Tennessee Theatre.
"It's almost surreal,'' RuthAnn Lobo said. "Her entire career has been one anticipated, wonderful experience after another. Sometimes I just stop and think, here we have this little baby girl and she grew into this magnificent woman and we never dreamed possible some of the things that have happened.''
RuthAnn Lobo twice grew emotional when discussing the accomplishments of her daughter. They've been through a great deal together, including RuthAnn's battle against breast cancer after being diagnosed during Lobo's junior season at UConn in December of 1993.
The walk together on stage Saturday will unquestionably be one to savor.
"That's going to mean a lot,'' Rebecca said. "No offense to Steve, but the people that really, really had to be there are my parents. My parents were so influential, while at the same time being the perfect parents. So it means the world to me that they're going to be the ones escorting me.''
This weekend will mark Lobo's first trip to the Women's Hall of Fame. She has, though, had a presence at the facility for a number of years. Her 1996 U.S. Olympic team photo has been on display and she continues to be featured in "Hoops Full of Hoop,'' a 17-minute video chronicling the history of the sport that starts every self-guided tour of the Hall.
"Obviously, I'm so proud of her, but it's very much deserved,'' former UConn teammate Jennifer Rizzotti said.
"Obviously, everybody knows that she was a good player," Rizzotti added. "But she was a tremendous leader. She was great with the media. She was very humble. She was great with fans. She never turned down an autograph request. She really set the tone for how these UConn women behave."
Lobo's rise to national prominence came in 1994-1995, when she led UConn to its first national championship and a record of 35-0. That was also the first season the Huskies reached No. 1 in the national polls.
The image of Lobo running down the floor at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minn., after UConn defeated Tennessee 70-64 in the NCAA tournament final on April 2, 1995, was the defining moment in her career.
"That was, for us, probably the crowning glory of her career,'' RuthAnn Lobo said. "The Olympics was a wonderful event. But I think the '95 championship was so special because it was so unexpected.''
Lobo is ranked seventh all-time in UConn history in scoring (2,133 points), second in rebounding (1,268) and first in blocks (396).
She was the consensus national player of the year in 1994-95, a two-time State Farm/Kodak All-American (1993-94, 1994-95) and the NCAA Women of the Year (1994-95) at UConn before going on to win a gold medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta and helping launch the WNBA in 1997.
"Rebecca going into the Hall of Fame is one of the most rewarding aspects of my career,'' Auriemma said. "Her time here at Connecticut was like Camelot. Never before or since has there been anyone who defined what college basketball should be or could be. I can honestly say that Rebecca may be the reason why we are who we are at Connecticut and why the WNBA was able to get off to such a great start.''
Along with Weatherspoon, Lobo was assigned to the New York Liberty during the league's first player allocations Jan. 22, 1997. She spent seven seasons in the WNBA, five with the Liberty (1997-2001) and one season each with the Houston Comets (2002) and the Connecticut Sun (2003).
Lobo, who helped lead the Liberty to the 1997 WNBA championship game, was voted to the league's first Eastern Conference All-Star Team in 1999.
While her impact has been felt for some time, this weekend, Lobo will officially be honored on the game's grandest stage.
"It's one of those times where it makes you sit back and look and see how far we've come, but also see the impact that Rebecca coming here has had,'' Dailey said. "Not just at the University of Connecticut, but for women's basketball. Certainly people have scored more points or grabbed more rebounds or won more national championships. But I don't know that anyone has handled themselves and has represented the game of basketball with the style and the grace that Rebecca has.''
This weekend will mark Lobo's first trip to the Women's Hall of Fame. She has, though, had a presence at the facility for a number of years. Her 1996 U.S. Olympic team photo has been on display and she continues to be featured in "Hoops Full of Hoop,'' a 17-minute video chronicling the history of the sport that starts every self-guided tour of the Hall.
"Obviously, I'm so proud of her, but it's very much deserved,'' former UConn teammate Jennifer Rizzotti said.
"Obviously, everybody knows that she was a good player," Rizzotti added. "But she was a tremendous leader. She was great with the media. She was very humble. She was great with fans. She never turned down an autograph request. She really set the tone for how these UConn women behave."
Lobo's rise to national prominence came in 1994-1995, when she led UConn to its first national championship and a record of 35-0. That was also the first season the Huskies reached No. 1 in the national polls.
The image of Lobo running down the floor at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minn., after UConn defeated Tennessee 70-64 in the NCAA tournament final on April 2, 1995, was the defining moment in her career.
"That was, for us, probably the crowning glory of her career,'' RuthAnn Lobo said. "The Olympics was a wonderful event. But I think the '95 championship was so special because it was so unexpected.''
Lobo is ranked seventh all-time in UConn history in scoring (2,133 points), second in rebounding (1,268) and first in blocks (396).
She was the consensus national player of the year in 1994-95, a two-time State Farm/Kodak All-American (1993-94, 1994-95) and the NCAA Women of the Year (1994-95) at UConn before going on to win a gold medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta and helping launch the WNBA in 1997.
"Rebecca going into the Hall of Fame is one of the most rewarding aspects of my career,'' Auriemma said. "Her time here at Connecticut was like Camelot. Never before or since has there been anyone who defined what college basketball should be or could be. I can honestly say that Rebecca may be the reason why we are who we are at Connecticut and why the WNBA was able to get off to such a great start.''
Along with Weatherspoon, Lobo was assigned to the New York Liberty during the league's first player allocations Jan. 22, 1997. She spent seven seasons in the WNBA, five with the Liberty (1997-2001) and one season each with the Houston Comets (2002) and the Connecticut Sun (2003).
Lobo, who helped lead the Liberty to the 1997 WNBA championship game, was voted to the league's first Eastern Conference All-Star Team in 1999.
While her impact has been felt for some time, this weekend, Lobo will officially be honored on the game's grandest stage.
"It's one of those times where it makes you sit back and look and see how far we've come, but also see the impact that Rebecca coming here has had,'' Dailey said. "Not just at the University of Connecticut, but for women's basketball. Certainly people have scored more points or grabbed more rebounds or won more national championships. But I don't know that anyone has handled themselves and has represented the game of basketball with the style and the grace that Rebecca has.''
But that never stopped Lobo from daydreaming about being in the Hall of Fame as she played on the court at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in nearby Springfield. Lobo once even put one of her dreams in writing, addressing it to Boston Celtics legend Arnold (Red) Auerbach.
"My mother had delivered it to him at a Celtics game, and in that letter, (Rebecca) said she dreamed of being the first woman player for the NBA,'' said RuthAnn Lobo, Rebecca's mother. "Well, at the time, we all smiled. There wasn't any dream at that time beyond being a good college player. (But) you never can negate a child's dream, because if they work hard enough at it and if the timing is right and if the pieces are in place, good things do happen.''
From the time Lobo spent playing basketball in the driveway with her brother, Jason, and her sister, Rachel, to her record-setting career at Southwick-Tolland High School, her groundbreaking career at UConn, her Olympic gold medal and her career in the WNBA, Lobo never did stop working diligently. And Saturday night, she formally will be recognized as one of the greatest players and most influential individuals in the history of the sport when she is inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in Knoxville, Tenn.
Lobo, 36, will become the first player from UConn inducted into the Women's Hall of Fame, which opened in 1999. Huskies coach Geno Auriemma was inducted in 2006. She will be joined in a six-member class -- the 12th overall -- by Teresa Edwards, Teresa Weatherspoon, Chris Weller, Gloria Ray and Leta Andrews.
The class will bring the number of inductees to 115.
"Understanding that it's because of the teams I was on, I'm thrilled,'' said Lobo, now a commentator for ESPN. "I found out, I think it was just about a year ago, and the farther away I get from initially having been told, the more excited I get and kind of the more honored I am. And I think it's going to stay that way sort of for the rest of my life.''
In order to be considered for induction, a player must be retired from the highest level of play for at least five years.
Lobo will be escorted by her parents, RuthAnn and Dennis. Auriemma will serve as her video presenter. Her husband, Steve Rushin; UConn associate head coach Chris Dailey; Jack Eisenmann, UConn's director of basketball operations; former teammate Kara Wolters; and former UConn assistant coach/Temple head coach Tonya Cardoza will be in attendance at the Tennessee Theatre.
"It's almost surreal,'' RuthAnn Lobo said. "Her entire career has been one anticipated, wonderful experience after another. Sometimes I just stop and think, here we have this little baby girl and she grew into this magnificent woman and we never dreamed possible some of the things that have happened.''
RuthAnn Lobo twice grew emotional when discussing the accomplishments of her daughter. They've been through a great deal together, including RuthAnn's battle against breast cancer after being diagnosed during Lobo's junior season at UConn in December of 1993.
The walk together on stage Saturday will unquestionably be one to savor.
"That's going to mean a lot,'' Rebecca said. "No offense to Steve, but the people that really, really had to be there are my parents. My parents were so influential, while at the same time being the perfect parents. So it means the world to me that they're going to be the ones escorting me.''
This weekend will mark Lobo's first trip to the Women's Hall of Fame. She has, though, had a presence at the facility for a number of years. Her 1996 U.S. Olympic team photo has been on display and she continues to be featured in "Hoops Full of Hoop,'' a 17-minute video chronicling the history of the sport that starts every self-guided tour of the Hall.
"Obviously, I'm so proud of her, but it's very much deserved,'' former UConn teammate Jennifer Rizzotti said.
"Obviously, everybody knows that she was a good player," Rizzotti added. "But she was a tremendous leader. She was great with the media. She was very humble. She was great with fans. She never turned down an autograph request. She really set the tone for how these UConn women behave."
Lobo's rise to national prominence came in 1994-1995, when she led UConn to its first national championship and a record of 35-0. That was also the first season the Huskies reached No. 1 in the national polls.
The image of Lobo running down the floor at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minn., after UConn defeated Tennessee 70-64 in the NCAA tournament final on April 2, 1995, was the defining moment in her career.
"That was, for us, probably the crowning glory of her career,'' RuthAnn Lobo said. "The Olympics was a wonderful event. But I think the '95 championship was so special because it was so unexpected.''
Lobo is ranked seventh all-time in UConn history in scoring (2,133 points), second in rebounding (1,268) and first in blocks (396).
She was the consensus national player of the year in 1994-95, a two-time State Farm/Kodak All-American (1993-94, 1994-95) and the NCAA Women of the Year (1994-95) at UConn before going on to win a gold medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta and helping launch the WNBA in 1997.
"Rebecca going into the Hall of Fame is one of the most rewarding aspects of my career,'' Auriemma said. "Her time here at Connecticut was like Camelot. Never before or since has there been anyone who defined what college basketball should be or could be. I can honestly say that Rebecca may be the reason why we are who we are at Connecticut and why the WNBA was able to get off to such a great start.''
Along with Weatherspoon, Lobo was assigned to the New York Liberty during the league's first player allocations Jan. 22, 1997. She spent seven seasons in the WNBA, five with the Liberty (1997-2001) and one season each with the Houston Comets (2002) and the Connecticut Sun (2003).
Lobo, who helped lead the Liberty to the 1997 WNBA championship game, was voted to the league's first Eastern Conference All-Star Team in 1999.
While her impact has been felt for some time, this weekend, Lobo will officially be honored on the game's grandest stage.
"It's one of those times where it makes you sit back and look and see how far we've come, but also see the impact that Rebecca coming here has had,'' Dailey said. "Not just at the University of Connecticut, but for women's basketball. Certainly people have scored more points or grabbed more rebounds or won more national championships. But I don't know that anyone has handled themselves and has represented the game of basketball with the style and the grace that Rebecca has.''
This weekend will mark Lobo's first trip to the Women's Hall of Fame. She has, though, had a presence at the facility for a number of years. Her 1996 U.S. Olympic team photo has been on display and she continues to be featured in "Hoops Full of Hoop,'' a 17-minute video chronicling the history of the sport that starts every self-guided tour of the Hall.
"Obviously, I'm so proud of her, but it's very much deserved,'' former UConn teammate Jennifer Rizzotti said.
"Obviously, everybody knows that she was a good player," Rizzotti added. "But she was a tremendous leader. She was great with the media. She was very humble. She was great with fans. She never turned down an autograph request. She really set the tone for how these UConn women behave."
Lobo's rise to national prominence came in 1994-1995, when she led UConn to its first national championship and a record of 35-0. That was also the first season the Huskies reached No. 1 in the national polls.
The image of Lobo running down the floor at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minn., after UConn defeated Tennessee 70-64 in the NCAA tournament final on April 2, 1995, was the defining moment in her career.
"That was, for us, probably the crowning glory of her career,'' RuthAnn Lobo said. "The Olympics was a wonderful event. But I think the '95 championship was so special because it was so unexpected.''
Lobo is ranked seventh all-time in UConn history in scoring (2,133 points), second in rebounding (1,268) and first in blocks (396).
She was the consensus national player of the year in 1994-95, a two-time State Farm/Kodak All-American (1993-94, 1994-95) and the NCAA Women of the Year (1994-95) at UConn before going on to win a gold medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta and helping launch the WNBA in 1997.
"Rebecca going into the Hall of Fame is one of the most rewarding aspects of my career,'' Auriemma said. "Her time here at Connecticut was like Camelot. Never before or since has there been anyone who defined what college basketball should be or could be. I can honestly say that Rebecca may be the reason why we are who we are at Connecticut and why the WNBA was able to get off to such a great start.''
Along with Weatherspoon, Lobo was assigned to the New York Liberty during the league's first player allocations Jan. 22, 1997. She spent seven seasons in the WNBA, five with the Liberty (1997-2001) and one season each with the Houston Comets (2002) and the Connecticut Sun (2003).
Lobo, who helped lead the Liberty to the 1997 WNBA championship game, was voted to the league's first Eastern Conference All-Star Team in 1999.
While her impact has been felt for some time, this weekend, Lobo will officially be honored on the game's grandest stage.
"It's one of those times where it makes you sit back and look and see how far we've come, but also see the impact that Rebecca coming here has had,'' Dailey said. "Not just at the University of Connecticut, but for women's basketball. Certainly people have scored more points or grabbed more rebounds or won more national championships. But I don't know that anyone has handled themselves and has represented the game of basketball with the style and the grace that Rebecca has.''
