@ifnotforthem.bsky.social
A docuseries in production on the origin story of college women’s basketball. Set up as a non-profit production. Executive Producer Brenda VanLengen.
If Not For Them will reveal the origin story and evolution of college women's basketball in a documentary series set to be released later in 2026.
31.12.2025 02:12 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0Delta State, led by All-American Lusia Harris, and coached by Maraget Wade, after whom the Wade Trophy is named, won the national championship in 1975, 76 and 77. Both teams must not have been in enough polls in 1976 and 77 to qualify for this list.
31.12.2025 02:12 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0They followed up as national runner-up in 1975 and 1976 and a national semifinal appearance in 1977.
31.12.2025 02:12 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0Since the poll was initiated by Mel Greenberg in 1976, there are two notable absences among the greatest college teams of all time. Immaculata University won three straight national championships under Naismith Hall of Fame Coach Cathy Rush and superstar Theresa Shank (Grentz) in 1972, 73 and 74.
31.12.2025 02:12 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0Wayland Baptist was ranked twice in 1980 before dropping out for good, and has spent more than 40 years playing as members of the NAIA.
31.12.2025 02:12 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0However, the Wayland Baptist’s “Flying Queens” sustained excellence for decades and were ranked in every AP poll from the first one in 1976 to the final poll for the 1978-79 season, so they are ranked at #19 in the poll released December 29th.
31.12.2025 02:12 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0For example, Wayland Baptist is the all-time winningest college program with over 1,800 victories as a program, but most of their national championships came in the AAU era, predating the AP Poll, the AIAW and the NCAA.
31.12.2025 02:12 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0
Kim Mulkey
Old Dominion
Tennessee
UConn
number of appearances in the poll and average ranking.
We will be providing in-depth personal interviews and stories related to many of the programs that had success in the early years of the poll in the upcoming If Not For Them docuseries.
Immaculata team picture 1972
Lusia Harris
Wayland Baptist
It is no surprise that UConn and Tennessee landed at #1 and #2 in the recent @apnews.com Poll that ranks the greatest womens basketball programs of all time.
The AP analyzed nearly 900 polls over the last 50 years to develop a ranking formula to determine the top teams including factors like…
Marsha Sharp, Brenda VanLengen and Jody Conradt standing together and smiling at the camera.
Brenda VanLengen, Jody Conradt and Ron Thulin sitting at a table. They all have tv broadcast headsets on.
After 49 years as a game-changing coach and athletic administrator, Texas legend Jody Conradt is retiring from fulltime employment.
You can review some of her career highlights here in the If Not For Them blog: ifnotforthem.com/a-birthday-celebration-for-jody-conradt/
Valerie Still looking stylish in all white, sitting in a chair on a basketball court facing the camera. You can see the back of Brenda VanLengen’s head in the foreground.
Valerie is not just UK’s all-time leading scorer and rebounder, she is also a historian who has shared a lot of valuable information with If Not For Them about amazing women who have contributed to the history of women’s basketball.
13.11.2025 16:42 — 👍 2 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0Congratulations to Hannah Hidalgo on an incredible performance last night! She set a Notre Dame record with 44 points and an #ncaaw record with 16 steals against Akron.
Did you know she and Kentucky legend Valerie Still are both from Camden County, NJ?
She shared some remarkable stories from her own playing days and about the challenges of recruiting to a brand new program with If Not For Them.
10.11.2025 22:32 — 👍 2 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
Linda Sharp is sitting in a chair and smiling at the camera.
A big win for the USC Trojans, toppling ninth-ranked NC State this weekend!
Linda Sharp, the program’s first coach, led USC to two championships and was inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2001.
“…And now, through this series, I have been slowly learning about all of those who have gone before me. My generation did not have the struggles like those before me, so I'm learning just what they had to go through, so that I and future generations might have unimaginable opportunities.”
17.07.2025 20:28 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0“…and then followed the current leagues, I was so excited to hear about this project. I had never heard the stories before. I didn't know anyone who could tell me those stories...
17.07.2025 20:28 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0A few thoughts from her on INFT:
“I have really enjoyed having the opportunity to be a part of If Not For Them team as a production assistant. Having a strong interest in women's basketball, having played all the way through college, and then coached younger kids…
Joni in an orange “If Not For Them” shirt standing in the stands at Target Center with the court behind her.
Joni and guests in from on two SLAM magazine covers with Napheesa Collier on them.
Production assistant Joni Kelsey shared these great pictues from Minnesota Lynx games this season. She has seen 10 of the 13 WNBA teams in-person!
How many have you seen?
We are thrilled to support this team and their coverage of #WNBAAllStar in Indianapolis!
17.07.2025 18:31 — 👍 3 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
Photo of UConn coach Geno Auriemma smiling and talking with ESPN’s Holly Rowe.
With the win, UConn and coach Geno Auriemma improved to 142-24 in the NCAA Tournament. He continues as the all-time leader in NCAA wins, NCAA Tournament games and winning percentage in the NCAA Tournament.
📷 @thenext.bsky.social
Photo of past and present UConn players and coaches posing with a school flag.
Congratulations to UConn Women's Basketball, the 2025 NCAA DI National Champions! They secured the program's historic 12th title on Sunday with a victory against South Carolina.
📷 @thenext.bsky.social
Everyone who makes a donation will receive a link to the one-hour preview and the newly produced theme song, written and produced by Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Brandy Clark! (5/5)
16.03.2025 17:25 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
The first four episodes are in production. The distribution outlet and date is TBD. You can help preserve this important history by joining the team at ifnotforthem.com/join-the-team/ (4/5)
16.03.2025 17:25 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0
Over 400 women's basketball players, fans and coaches have made tax-deductible contributions to this project.
Veteran women's basketball broadcaster, Brenda VanLengen, is the creator and executive producer of the project and as of March 16, 2025, 60% of the project has been funded. (3/5)
If Not For Them is a documentary series in production that reveals the stories of those who built the foundation for #NCAAWBB, and women's sports overall, BEFORE the NCAA took over in the early 1980s. We would not be experiencing the success we have today in women's sports If Not For Them. (2/5)
16.03.2025 17:25 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0
As we begin March Madness 2025, would you like to watch a one-hour preview of the 10 episodes of the If Not For Them docuseries and hear its remarkable theme song written and produced by Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Brandy Clark! (1/5)
16.03.2025 17:25 — 👍 2 🔁 1 💬 1 📌 0
Everyone who makes a donation will receive a link to the one-hour preview and the newly produced theme song, written and produced by Grammy Award Winning singer/songwriter Brandy Clark!
16.03.2025 16:37 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
The first four episodes are in production. The distribution outlet and date is TBD. You can help preserve this important history by joining the team at ifnotforthem.com/join-the-team/
16.03.2025 16:37 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0
Over 400 women's basketball players, fans and coaches have made tax-deductible contributions to this project.
Veteran women's basketball broadcaster, Brenda VanLengen, is the creator and executive producer of the project and as of March 16, 2025, 60% of the project has been funded.
