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| Ann Meyers | |
|---|---|
| Name | Ann Meyers |
| Position | Guard, Forward |
| Weight lb | 145 |
| Birth date | 26 March 1955 |
| Birth place | Riverside, California |
| College | UCLA |
| Draft year | 1978 |
| Draft team | Indiana Pacers |
| Career start | 1975 |
| Career end | 1981 |
Ann Meyers
Ann Meyers is an American former basketball player, coach, and broadcaster known for pioneering roles in women's collegiate sports, professional basketball and sports media. She was a standout at UCLA, a member of the 1976 United States women's Olympic basketball team, and later became the first woman to sign a contract with a National Basketball Association team. Meyers has worked for major broadcasters and served in executive and coaching roles with organizations including the Phoenix Mercury and Los Angeles Sparks.
Born in Riverside, California, Meyers attended Centennial High School and emerged as a multisport athlete in California. She enrolled at UCLA, where she majored in physical education and later completed postgraduate work while establishing national prominence alongside teammates and contemporaries from programs such as Immaculata, Delta State University, and University of Tennessee. During her formative years she trained under coaches influenced by figures like John Wooden and competed in events tied to organizations such as the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women.
At UCLA, Meyers was an all‑American and set school records while playing for head coach Kenny Washington and staff that developed athletes who later played in leagues connected to the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame lineage. She led teams that faced opponents from programs including University of Southern California, University of Notre Dame, Louisiana State University, and University of Maryland. Her collegiate play drew attention from national selectors tied to the United States Basketball Writers Association and resulted in invitations to all‑star competitions alongside players who later starred at University of Connecticut, University of Tennessee, and University of Texas.
After collegiate competition, Meyers played for amateur and professional teams in the evolving landscape that included the Women's Professional Basketball League and exhibition teams connected to franchises like the Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Lakers as the professional game expanded. In 1978 she signed a groundbreaking contract with the Indiana Pacers of the National Basketball Association, a move that highlighted intersections between women's pioneers and institutions such as the National Collegiate Athletic Association and the Women's National Basketball Association. Meyers later joined the New Jersey Gems and clubs that competed against players from Boston Celtics alumni clinics and international touring squads.
Meyers was a member of the 1976 United States women's Olympic basketball team that competed at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal. That squad faced teams including Soviet Union women's national basketball team, Czechoslovakia women's national basketball team, and participants from Japan and Canada. She also represented the United States in FIBA events and tours that brought her into contests with national teams such as Australia women's national basketball team and Brazil women's national basketball team, joining contemporaries who later influenced programs at Stanford University, Louisiana Tech University, and Penn State University.
Following her playing career, Meyers transitioned to broadcasting and coaching, working for networks such as ESPN, CBS Sports, NBC Sports, and regional outlets covering franchises like the Phoenix Mercury and Los Angeles Sparks. She served in front‑office and advisory roles with WNBA teams and worked with coaches affiliated with institutions like University of Connecticut and University of Tennessee on clinics and development programs. Meyers' broadcasting career placed her alongside commentators from networks that covered events including the Olympic Games, the NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Tournament, and WNBA Finals broadcasts.
Meyers has been inducted into halls that recognize contributors to women's athletics, including the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, joining laureates from institutions such as UCLA, Louisiana State University, University of Tennessee, and University of Connecticut. Her honors include awards presented by bodies like the Women's Basketball Coaches Association and recognitions associated with the Olympic Hall of Fame and national committees that celebrate pioneers in American sports.
Meyers has been involved with charitable and development efforts linked to organizations such as the United States Olympic Committee and community programs in California and Arizona. She has collaborated with former athletes and executives from franchises including the Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Lakers, and members of the broader collegiate community from schools like UCLA and University of Southern California.
Category:American women's basketball players Category:UCLA Bruins women's basketball players