Iowa Cornets
Encyclopedia
The Iowa Cornets was a team that played for two seasons in the Women's Professional Basketball League
. The team made it to the league's championship series both seasons, falling to the Houston Angels
in 1978-79 and to the New York Stars
in 1979-80. The team played their games at the Veterans Memorial Auditorium
in Des Moines, Iowa
and at the Coe College
Gymnasium in Cedar Rapids, Iowa
.
's Essex House
in July 1978, with eight teams participating. By the time of the draft, Iowa was one of only three teams that had a nickname selcted and the only team that had already engaged a coach. With its last pick in the draft, the Cornets selected Uljana Semjonova, a 7-foot-4-inch player for the Soviet Union
's national women's basketball team who would be inducted as an inaugural member of the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame
in the class of 1999, but would never play a game in the WBL. Molly Bolin, who grew up in Moravia, Iowa
, became the first player signed by any team in the WBL when she was signed by the Cornets.
The team finished the 1978-79 season with a record of 21 wins and 13 losses, tied for the Midwest Division lead with the Chicago Hustle
. In the first round of the playoffs, Chicago took the first game in overtime, but Iowa won the last two games to advance to the championship series against the Houston Angels. Houston won the first two games of the series by scores of 89–85 and 112–98. Iowa won the next two games by scores of 110–101 and 89–79 to tie the series at two games apiece and setting up a fifth and final game for the title. Behind 36 points by Paula Mayo, the Houston Angels
defeated the Cornets on May 2, 1979, to take the league's first championship, 111-104 in the fifth and final game of a best-three-out-of-five competition.
In the 1979-80 season, Iowa finished atop the Midwestern Division with a record of 24 wins and 12 losses, and as one of the two teams with the league's best record earned a bye in the first round. In the semifinals, Iowa played defeated the Minnesota Fillies
, losing the first game 108–87, but winning the next two games by scores of 128–111 and 95–92 to advance to the league championship for their second consecutive season. On April 9, 1980, despite Iowa's league-leading scorer Molly Bolin's 36 point, the New York Stars held on to win game four of the finals 125–114, behind 27 points by Pearl Moore and 22 by Janice Thomas. Molly Bolin of the Cornets and Ann Meyers
of the New Jersey Gems
were co-winners of the Most Valuable Player title for the 1979-80 season.
The team was disbanded after the 1979-80 season.
Women's Professional Basketball League
The Women's Professional Basketball League was a professional women's basketball league in the United States. The league played three seasons from the fall of 1978 to the spring of 1981...
. The team made it to the league's championship series both seasons, falling to the Houston Angels
Houston Angels
The Houston Angels was a team that played for two seasons in the Women's Professional Basketball League. The team won the league championship in the inaugural season defeating the Iowa Cornets three games to two in the best-of-five tournament...
in 1978-79 and to the New York Stars
New York Stars (WBL)
The New York Stars were a team that played for the first two of three seasons in the Women's Professional Basketball League. The team won the 1979-80 league championship in its second season, defeating the Iowa Cornets, but folded after the season ended....
in 1979-80. The team played their games at the Veterans Memorial Auditorium
Veterans Memorial Auditorium (Des Moines)
Veterans Memorial Auditorium is an arena in Des Moines, Iowa, that is part of the Iowa Events Center complex. It opened on February 1, 1955, and was named to honor the World War II veterans of Polk County. It has 7,227 permanent seats, with the capacity to add an additional 4,000 seats for concerts...
in Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines is the capital and the most populous city in the US state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small portion of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857...
and at the Coe College
Coe College
Coe College is a private, four-year, liberal arts college in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Founded in 1851, the institution is historically affiliated with the Presbyterian Church . Its current president is James R. Phifer. It is one of the smaller universities to have a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa...
Gymnasium in Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Cedar Rapids is the second largest city in Iowa and is the county seat of Linn County. The city lies on both banks of the Cedar River, north of Iowa City and east of Des Moines, the state's capital and largest city...
.
History
The league began with a player draft held in ManhattanManhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
's Essex House
Essex House
-Buildings:* Essex House - a historic house in London* Jumeirah Essex House - a luxury hotel in New York City...
in July 1978, with eight teams participating. By the time of the draft, Iowa was one of only three teams that had a nickname selcted and the only team that had already engaged a coach. With its last pick in the draft, the Cornets selected Uljana Semjonova, a 7-foot-4-inch player for the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
's national women's basketball team who would be inducted as an inaugural member of the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame
Women's Basketball Hall of Fame
The Women's Basketball Hall of Fame honors men and women who have contributed to the sport of women's basketball. The Hall of Fame opened in 1999 in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA...
in the class of 1999, but would never play a game in the WBL. Molly Bolin, who grew up in Moravia, Iowa
Moravia, Iowa
Moravia is a city in Appanoose County, Iowa, United States. The population was 713 at the 2000 census.-History:Moravia is named for the religious faith. Moravian families left Salem, North Carolina in 1849 to start a colony in the west. Money was sent to purchase forty acres of land for a town site...
, became the first player signed by any team in the WBL when she was signed by the Cornets.
The team finished the 1978-79 season with a record of 21 wins and 13 losses, tied for the Midwest Division lead with the Chicago Hustle
Chicago Hustle
The Chicago Hustle was a team in the Women's Professional Basketball League from 1978-1981. Their team colors were orange and blue. Its radio broadcaster was Les Grobstein....
. In the first round of the playoffs, Chicago took the first game in overtime, but Iowa won the last two games to advance to the championship series against the Houston Angels. Houston won the first two games of the series by scores of 89–85 and 112–98. Iowa won the next two games by scores of 110–101 and 89–79 to tie the series at two games apiece and setting up a fifth and final game for the title. Behind 36 points by Paula Mayo, the Houston Angels
Houston Angels
The Houston Angels was a team that played for two seasons in the Women's Professional Basketball League. The team won the league championship in the inaugural season defeating the Iowa Cornets three games to two in the best-of-five tournament...
defeated the Cornets on May 2, 1979, to take the league's first championship, 111-104 in the fifth and final game of a best-three-out-of-five competition.
In the 1979-80 season, Iowa finished atop the Midwestern Division with a record of 24 wins and 12 losses, and as one of the two teams with the league's best record earned a bye in the first round. In the semifinals, Iowa played defeated the Minnesota Fillies
Minnesota Fillies
Minnesota Fillies was member of the Women's Professional Basketball League from 1978-81. It was one of only 3 teams to play in all 3 seasons of the league...
, losing the first game 108–87, but winning the next two games by scores of 128–111 and 95–92 to advance to the league championship for their second consecutive season. On April 9, 1980, despite Iowa's league-leading scorer Molly Bolin's 36 point, the New York Stars held on to win game four of the finals 125–114, behind 27 points by Pearl Moore and 22 by Janice Thomas. Molly Bolin of the Cornets and Ann Meyers
Ann Meyers
Ann Meyers Drysdale is a retired American basketball player and sportscaster. She was a standout player in high school, college, the Olympic Games, international tournaments, and the professional levels.Meyers was the first player to be part of the U.S. national team while still in high school...
of the New Jersey Gems
New Jersey Gems
The New Jersey Gems was a franchise that played in the Women's Professional Basketball League, one of only three teams in the league to survive through all three seasons, from 1978-79 to 1980-81. The team made the league playoffs once, losing in the first round...
were co-winners of the Most Valuable Player title for the 1979-80 season.
The team was disbanded after the 1979-80 season.