Tag: Aggie Womens basketball

It’s official: Gary Blair is a Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer

Beloved Aggie basketball coach Gray Blair gets enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame

2011 NCAA Champion coach Gary Blair added another Hall of Fame induction to his resume on August 12th, 2023. This time it was for the top spot on the mountain, as he will now forever be enshrined as a member of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. From humble beginnings in Oak Cliff, Texas, to becoming one of the winningest coaches in Division I history with 852 wins, Blair is one of the most beloved and respected coaches to roam the sideline of the hardwood.

He gave a great speech highlighting his gratitude for his start coaching women’s basketball and how he would like to see the Hall of Fame expand.

“I am convinced that God led three young women to knock on the door of my office and ask me if I would be interested in coaching girls basketball at South Oak Cliff High School. Here I am 50 years later at the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.”

“We need more representation of women in this Hall of Fame, as coaches, players, administrators, and all of the greats that have ever elevated the women’s game. Gig ‘em. Thank you, everyone”

Congratulations to Coach Blair; he is cemented in history as one of the best coaches in basketball history.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Jarrett Johnson on Twitter: @whosnextsports1.

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Texas A&M head Women’s basketball coach Joni Taylor leads USA team to gold medal

All she sees is gold as Texas A&M coach Joni Taylor leads the U19 USA team to a first place finish in Madrid

Coach Taylor must really like gold because she led the USA U19 women’s team to a 69-66 win over Spain in Madrid in front of a massive crowd to take on the 2023 FIBA world cup title. This is her fourth gold medal with USA Basketball after previously winning the following:

  • 2023 U19 FIBA World Cup – Head Coach
  • 2022 U18 FIBA World Cup – Head Coach
  • 2022 Woman’s National Team – Assistant Coach
  • 2019 U19 FIBA World Cup – Assistant Coach

The Women’s team has been dominant all tournament long leading to two from team USA making the All-Star Five Joyce Edwards and Hannah Hidalgo.

Coach Taylor has shown us constantly that she can coach best some of the best in the world and get the most out of her girls. It also helps with recruiting when one of the up-and-coming coaches has a few gold medals on her resume. Hopefully this is just a preview of the world-class system coach Taylor is reestablishing back in Aggieland.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Jarrett Johnson on Twitter: @whosnextsports1.

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Texas A&M Coach Joni Taylor has a court named in her honor in Mississippi

The city of Meridian honored Head Texas A&M Women’s basketball coach Joni Crawford-Taylor by naming local basketball courts after her.

One way we, as humans, honor each other is through acknowledgment, either privately or publicly. Those who excel in their respective field might come in the form of plaques or trophies. The legends have their names added to a community landmark. In the case of Aggies Women’s basketball coach Joni Taylor, her hometown of Meridian, Mississippi, unveiled the “Joni Crenshaw-Taylor” basketball courts at Velma Young Park. The ribbon cutting was held on June 23rd.

Below are a few comments from Coach Taylor on her court naming:

“I grew up watching (former NBA basketball player) Derrick McKey, who just had a court named after him in Highland Park. Then there’s (former football player) Dexter McCleon and (former women’s basketball player) Vicky Hood. There are just so many people from Meridian who have done so many amazing things, not just athletically,”

“To even think that my name would come up in any conversation in regards to putting my name on something – it’s really overwhelming. It’s humbling, I’m grateful and I haven’t processed all of what that means,”

Taylor has a standout two-sport athlete that excelled in basketball and track. On top of leading her high school basketball to a 67-7 record in her final two year, she also took home the 1997 Gatorade Player of the Year for Mississippi. She was also no slack in Track & Field, as she earned three state titles in high school. As she transitioned into coaching, she picked multiple awards along her way to Aggieland:

  • Georgia College Coach of the Year (2016, 2018, 2021)
  • 2016 Spalding Maggie Dixon National Rookie Coach of the Year
  • 2018 Werner Ladder Naismith National Coach of the Year Semifinalist
  • 2021 SEC Coach of the Year
  • 2022 USA National Team FIBA Women’s World Cup (Gold)
  • 2022 FIBA U18 Americas Championship (Gold)

Joni Taylor has been a great representative of her hometown and has been a great addition to the Aggie family. I’m expecting great things to come from Taylor as she starts to put her stamp on this program.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Jarrett Johnson on Twitter: @whosnextsports1.

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