Ann Meyers-Drysdale

Image from the Basketball Hall of Fame

Ann Meyers-Drysdale is a woman of “firsts.”

An outstanding basketball player, in 1974 she was the first player to be part of the U.S. National team while still in high school. In 1975, she was the first woman to receive an athletic scholarship at UCLA. In 1976 she played for the United States’ first Olympic women’s basketball team, winning a silver medal. In 1979, she became the first woman ever to try out for an NBA team, and the first (and only woman ever) signed by the National Basketball Association (with the Indiana Pacers). While at UCLA she also became the first four-time Kodak All-American, male or female. In 1988 she was the first woman inductee into the UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame, and in 1990 her basketball jersey was one of the first four retired by UCLA. And as if all of this weren’t enough, Drysdale also took an interest in sports broadcasting and became the first female to announce basketball, particularly striking for men's basketball.

Sports

Born March 26, 1955 in San Diego, California, Ann Elizabeth Meyers-Drysdale is best known for her prominent role as a pioneer in the history of women’s basketball. Yet her athletic ability extends far beyond basketball, and her broad talents still continue to shine.

Image from the Basketball Hall of Fame

While attending high school in Orange County, California, Ann earned thirteen Most Valuable Player awards in high school sports, excelling in softball, tennis, badminton, and field hockey, in addition to basketball. After playing for the US National team she became an athlete highly coveted by universities, and became the first woman to receive a four year athletic scholarship to any university. She played for the UCLA Bruins basketball team from 1976-1979, and also competed in volleyball and track and field. While there, became the first four-time All American women's basketball player. In 1975 Ann won a Gold medal as part of the USA Basketball team at the Pan American Games. The following year she played for the U.S. Olympic basketball team at the 1976 Montreal Summer Olympics, winning a Silver Medal.

By then the basketball world had taken notice of this superb athlete, and in 1978 she became the first female player drafted by the WBL (Women's Pro Basketball League), where as a player for the New Jersey Gems, she was Co-MVP 1979-1980. In 1980, she made NBA history when as a free-agent she signed a sizeable no-cut contract with the Indiana Pacers and participated in tryouts, although she wasn’t chosen for the final team.

The commendations have continued to stream in steadily.

Awards

Ann has been inducted into the Women's Sports Hall of Fame in their contemporary basketball category, the National Basketball Hall of Fame, and the National High School Hall of Fame. In 1998 she was the first woman ever inducted into the UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame. In 1990 UCLA retired her #15 jersey as one of the first four ever, along with such famed names as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (#33), Denise Curry (#12), and Bill Walton (#32). Ann has continued to be honored and has since received numerous other awards. Most recently in 2006 Ann ‘joined a group of legends in sports journalism by winning the United States Sports Academy's Ronald Reagan Media Award.’

Image from UCLA

Broadcasting

An all-around athlete as well as a superbly well-rounded individual, Ann has also been a top sports a television broadcaster for 26 years. Her interest in sports broadcasting began while a college student, where she announced UCLA games. Under a personal service contract with the team, she began her career in 1979 as a color commentator for the Indiana Pacers during a time when women in the sports media were few and far between. She has since served as a commentator for CBS Sports’ National Collegiate Athletic Association Basketball Tournament, has covered the Olympic Games for CBS and NBC, and since 1997 has also been performing game analyses for the WNBA (Women’s National Basketball Association) for NBC, and also joined ESPN in 1983 as an analyst. She continues to serve as a broadcaster and expert analyst for ‘women’s and men's basketball, softball, tennis, volleyball and soccer for ESPN, ABC, CBS and other television and radio stations.’

Image from the American Sport Art Museum and Archives

Family

Superbly well-rounded, Ann also had a busy family life as wife of former Los Angeles Dodger Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Don Drysdale, and the mother of two sons and a daughter. In keeping with her long string of firsts, their 1986 marriage became the first time a married couple were members of their respective sports' Halls of Fame. (Drysdale met Ann when he, himself, was a broadcaster covering ABC's "Superstars" competition, where she became a three-time champion of the women's Superstars and the first woman to compete in the men's competition. Recognizing her boundless talent, he encouraged her to go to broadcasting school at a time when women in the sports media were rare. ) Unfortunately she was widowed in 1993 when Don passed away from a heart attack.