Blog
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And we’re off!
In our first appearance for the new edition of Shattering the Glass, Pamela and I had a terrific time at All Good Books in Columbia, S.C., on February 15. In particular, we addressed how Coach Dawn Staley has built the University of South Carolina’s program into a national powerhouse, and were delighted that WOLO, the […]
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Heading to Hawkeye Nation
I’ll be in Iowa City from January 20 through January 23, signing books, talking about Iowa’s rich women’s basketball history and taking in the Iowa-UCLA game. Looking forward to it. I’ll be sorting through my closet to dig out my winter clothes, which I rarely need here in Charlotte. On Thursday, the day I arrive, […]
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Black women dazzle
Black women have long energized American women’s basketball. Marian Washington, C. Vivian Stringer, Lusia Harris, Lynette Woodard, Cheryl Miller, Cynthia Cooper, Dawn Staley, Carolyn Peck, Chamique Holdsclaw, Candace Parker, Seimone Augustus, Brittney Griner, Maya Moore, A’ja Wilson – the list of stars and coaches goes on and on. These achievements draw on a rich, deep […]
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See you soon!
We’ve got a great schedule of appearances and events coming up. Join us if you can! February 15: All Good Books, Columbia, S.C., 3-5 p.m. February 17: Charlotte Talks radio show, WFAE, 90.7FM, 9 a.m. and on website February 17: Virtual Talk, Damecore Impact, Christian Dior Couture, New York, N.Y., 1 p.m. February 19: […]
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Get ready . . .
Get ready for Shattering the Glass everyone! Our official publication date approaches, and books have started showing up in a few stores. We’ve got a great schedule of appearances coming up. In anticipation, we’ll be sharing some photos and quotes from the book on social media – one every day or so. February 2: Words […]
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Deep roots
It’s always great to be invited to the UNC women’s basketball alumni game. There’s nothing like chatting with players whose experience stretches across the six decades since Title IX – and even with a few who played prior to the landmark law. The state of North Carolina has an especially deep tradition of women’s basketball […]
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History matters – Iowa style
Some of our favorite parts of Shattering the Glass involve the remarkable history of Iowa women’s basketball. It’s an inspiring story, with developments that include support for a pathbreaking girls’ high school tournament, the incisive advocacy of University of Iowa athletic director Christine Grant, the successes of coaches such as C. Vivian Stringer and Lisa […]
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The story continues . . .
The expanded edition of Shattering the Glass is almost here! The first edition, published by the New Press in 2005, was the most comprehensive account of American women’s basketball ever written. It became an integral part of sports history classes across the country. Readers raved. Bust Magazine termed it “an indispensable resource.” Renowned sportswriter Robert […]
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No size fits all
CHARLOTTE, NC The hot pink billboard hovers over a shopping center on the east side of Charlotte, North Carolina. At the center, a young Black woman clad in a short skirt and cropped hoodie lounges on a gilded throne. To her left sits a glittering array of hair care products. To her right, the title […]
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A glorious day
CHARLOTTE, NC The inaugural Ally Tipoff has reached its final minute and the crowd of 15,000 has risen to its feet. The third-ranked Iowa Hawkeyes, captained by the incandescent Caitlin Clark, have been trading three-pointers with the eighth-ranked Virginia Tech Hokies. The lead has changed hands 11 times throughout the game. With 31 seconds left […]
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Q&A with LSU’s Kim Mulkey
When Kim Mulkey’s LSU Tigers won the national women’s basketball title in April 2023, she became the first coach in the college women’s game to capture the crown at two different NCAA Division 1 schools. About six months later, LSU made Mulkey the highest paid women’s college basketball coach with a 10-year, $32 million contract. […]
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Army women’s basketball: A powerful influence
The following is adapted from Hoops and Heroes: The Inspiring History of Army West Point Women’s Basketball, which debuted in spring 2023. Susan Shackelford, co-author of Shattering the Glass, wrote the book for Friends of Army Women’s Basketball and provided this adaptation of the book’s Introduction. For more on the book, go to hoopsandheroesbook.org. Lisa […]
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What she wore
DALLAS, TEXAS Angel Reese’s left leg flashes royal purple as she glides across the court, sporting a single-leg athletic “sleeve.” In a recent talk with The Sporting News, Reece explained she wears the covering in part to hide a surgical scar, and in part as a nod to WNBA stars A’ja Wilson and T’ea Cooper, […]
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Recognition grows for Ora Washington
It is the summer of 2003 and I am sitting in the heart of Philadelphia, at a microfilm reader in the archives at Temple University. I squint at the dim screen as I crank through issues of the Philadelphia Tribune, tracking the five-game basketball series played by the Germantown Hornets and the Tribune’s Newsgirls back […]
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Ora Washington podcast debuts
Ora Washington, trophy in hand, looks over at fellow tennis player Dorothy Morgan, posed beside her with an awkward smile. Morgan is taller and far younger than Washington, but she has been no match for the 40-year-old star, who has just beaten her 6-2, 6-1 to win the Philadelphia Open. Washington stands with balanced, easy […]
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Goodbye to a legend
Like the rest of the sports world, we were saddened to hear of the passing of the extraordinary Lusia Harris. We thought we’d share this excerpt from Shattering the Glass, which touches on Harris’s championship play for coach Margaret Wade at Delta State in Cleveland, Mississippi. Photo courtesy of the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame. […]
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On the edge
Had a swell time talking women’s basketball with the great Dave Zirin for his latest Edge of Sports podcast. WNBA, NCAA, Black Lives Matter, LGBTQ+, ever-improving play – so much great stuff to discuss. Dave’s questions always get to the heart of the matter. It’s worth a listen. So hard to fathom that Shattering the […]
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Looking forward, looking back
Aari McDonald stares out of her WNBA draft photo, arms folded, biceps sculpted, looking ahead. On April 15, when the draft kicks off the WNBA’s silver anniversary season, McDonald will go high. She has just come off a stellar NCAA tournament, where she led third-seeded Arizona to the championship game – a heartstopping contest with […]
Photo of Livingstone College team courtesy of the Heritage Hall Archives and Research Center, Livingstone College.