The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Celebrating perfection: 1986 Texas Women's Basketball
12.01.2010 | Women's Basketball
Dec. 1, 2010
"The first thought was perfection. There will be a champion crowned every year, but the undefeated champions will form an elite group." - Jody Conradt
In 1986, Texas Women's Basketball made history. The Longhorns defeated Southern California in the national championship game, finishing the season at 34-0 to become the first team in NCAA history to complete a perfect season.
Head coach Jody Conradt's words following the victory have proven prophetic. Only two other programs have ever matched the Longhorns' unblemished excellence - Tennessee and Connecticut.
This year marks the 25th anniversary of that historic season. On Sunday, Jan. 30, members of the championship team will be honored during UT's game against Colorado at 2 p.m.
TexasSports.com will reflect on the personalities and performances that shaped the Longhorns in a periodic series. The first installment looks back at the 1985-86 roster, and what those individuals went on to accomplish after departing the Forty Acres.
 Clarissa Davis-Wrightsil came off the bench as a freshman to become the NCAA Tournament MVP. She was UT's second-leading scorer at 13.5 points per game and top rebounder at 7.7 per game. In the Longhorns' seven postseason games, Davis scored in double figures six times and rebounded in double figures four times. She went on to play professionally in the ABL and WNBA and also served as Chief Operations Officer for the WNBA's San Antonio Silver Stars. Davis was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006. |
|
|
Michele Eglinger was a sophomore on the 1985-86 team and appeared in 20 games. She received her exercise physiology degree in 1989, and later received a master's in healthcare from Regis University. She lives in Tomball, Texas, and is the Executive Director of Personnel and Patient Care for Cole Healthcare, while also working as a women's college basketball official. |
|
|
 Kamie Ethridge was Jody Conradt's floor leader, averaging 5.2 assists for the Longhorns. Ethridge played every minute of the championship game against USC and totaled 10 assists and three steals. She was the consensus player of the year and was also honored with the Honda Broderick Cup Award as the Collegiate Women's Athlete of the Year. She is now a member of the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame and is associate head women's basketball coach at Kansas State University. |
|
|
 Pennee Hall transferred from Louisiana Tech and was not eligible to compete in 1985-86 due to NCAA transfer guidelines. She is now an associate athletic director and head girls basketball coach at Livingston High School in Livingston, Texas. |
|
|
 Fran Harris started every game and was the Longhorns' leading scorer at 13.8 points a game. During the national semifinal against Western Kentucky, Harris scored 20 points on 9-of-14 shooting. She was named to the Southwest Conference All-Decade Team (1980s) and is a member of UT Women's Hall of Honor. Harris received both her bachelor's and master's degrees in journalism from UT and currently lives in Dallas, Texas. She is the CEO of Fran Harris Enterprises, LLC and Fran Harris Basketball. |
|
|
Gay Hemphill was a senior in 1985-86, played nine minutes in the championship game against USC and scored eight points on 3-of-4 shooting. Her .619 season field goal percentage still ranks as the best in program history. She went on to work as a teacher in New York City at the independent school of Ethical Culture School and run her own after-school basketball program, "Hemphill's Hoopster's." She played professional basketball in Italy. |
|
|
 C.J. Jones battled a foot injury that limited her playing time for the Longhorns. She came off the bench to appear in 24 games, and saw action in all but one of UT's NCAA Tournament games. She went on to play professional basketball in Italy. |
|
|
 Andrea Lloyd was one of the Longhorns' top rebounders, averaging 7.5 a game. She finished with 14 points and four rebounds in the NCAA Mideast Regional championship game against Oklahoma. A three-time All-American, Lloyd graduated in 1987 with a sociology degree and currently lives in Idaho Springs, Colo. She works as an independent contractor as a color analyst for men's and women's basketball and is a summer volunteer firefighter in Lake McMurray, Washington. |
|
|
 Paulette Moegle appeared in 12 games in a reserve role, but was known for her shooting ability. She hit 57.9 percent from the field, and scored a season-high 14 points on a perfect 6-of-6 shooting against Miami on Feb. 17, 1986. Moegle later captained the 1987-88 team. She passed away in April 1997 following a car accident in Arlington, Texas. |
|
|
 Cara Priddy set the tone for the Longhorns' victory against USC. In the dressing room before tipoff, she mused to no one in particular, "What am I going to wear to the White House after we win?" Priddy did her part, scoring 15 points with five rebounds against the Women of Troy. She averaged 4.9 points and 2.1 rebounds that year as a senior. |
|
|
 Audrey Smith was noted as UT's fastest player, a trait that served her well defensively. An injury limited her play during the NCAA Tournament. She graduated in 1987 with an education degree. She currently lives and works in Austin, Texas at the Dell Children's Blood and Cancer Center. |
|
|
Annette Smith-Knight returned from a devastating knee injury to shoulder the Longhorns to the national title. She averaged 9.1 points and 4.1 rebounds to cap a heroic UT career. Her 2,523 career points rank Smith-Knight as the all-time leading scorer in Texas Basketball history. A 2002 UT Women's Hall of Honor inductee, Smith-Knight works as the community service coordinator for UT Athletics. An All-American and two-time Southwest Conference Player of the Year, Smith-Knight was inducted into the UT Women's Hall of Honor in 2002 and the Texas Black Sports Hall of Fame in 2006. Smith-Knight graduated in 1986 with a degree in speech communication. |
|
|
Beverly Williams earned notice as the unsung hero during UT's championship run. As the team's third-leading scorer, she was both consistent and athletic. She scored in double-figures in UT's final 15 games and averaged almost 15 points a game during postseason play. An All-American, Williams was inducted into the UT Women's Hall of Honor in 2004. She played professionally overseas and with the ABL and WNBA. She works at her high school alma mater, Del Valle High School, outside of Austin, and also as a private basketball trainer and coach. |
|
|
Yulonda Wimbish-North claimed fame as the first left-handed player recruited to UT by Jody Conradt. Known for her swiftness and shooting accuracy, she averaged 6.3 points as one of the first reserves off the bench during postseason play, and was one of five Longhorns to score in double figures in the championship game. She graduated in 1988 with a communications degree, and currently lives in Victoria, Texas. She teaches and coaches at Victoria East High School. |
