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QUEENS WEEKLY, JAN. 27, 2019
Legendary Qns. College hoops coach fi nalist for HOF
BY ZACH GEWELB
A Queens College
coaching legend is on
the verge of basketball
immortality.
Lucille Kyvallos, the
legendary Queens College
women’s basketball coach
who is considered a pioneer
of the sport, was recently
announced as one
of 12 finalists for the 2019
class of the Women’s Basketball
Hall of Fame.
“We are very proud of
Lucille Kyvallos for her
well-deserved nomination
for the 2019 Women’s
Basketball Hall of Fame
Class. Kyvallos’ positive
influence extended not
only to the many studentathletes
she coached here
at Queens College, but also
to all the student-athletes
around the country who
benefited from her contributions
to the advancement
of the game of women’s
basketball,” Queens
College President Félix V.
Matos Rodríguez said.
In 2017, Kyvallos’ signature
of Lucille Kyvallos
was unveiled on the basketball
court in Queens
College’s Fitzgerald Gymnasium,
an honor that
was a long time coming
and finally came to fruition
after several years.
Borough President Melinda
Katz was on hand
during the October 2017
ceremony to issue a proclamation,
which read:
“Whereas, as part of
its celebration of its 80
years of service, Queens
college is dedicating its
basketball court in honor
of Lucille Kyvallos, who
coached the Queens College
women’s basketball
team from 1969 to 1979
and from 1980 to 1981 and
who led the U.S. women’s
national basketball team
to a silver medal at the
World Games in Bulgaria
in 1977.”
“The World’s Borough,
is extremely proud of the
achievements of Lucille
Kyvallos and warmly congratulates
her as she receives
the honor of having
the Queens College basketball
court be dedicated
in her name.”
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Additionally, Katz declared
Oct. 14, 2017 as Lucille
Kyvallos Day.
Kyvallos said that the
day of the dedication is one
that she will never forget.
“I’m overwhelmed with
this tribute to my past and
I’m very happy to see my
signature,” Kyvallos said
after the court dedication.
“It is a major honor to be
the first woman in the city
that had a basketball court
named for her. It is really
monumental to me.”
Kyvallos took over as
head coach of the program
in 1968 and served in that
role for 12 seasons.
During her tenure,
Kyvallos built the Lady
Knights into a powerhouse
program.
The team compiled a
stellar 239-77 record under
her tutelage and was ranked
among nation’s the top ten
sqauds from 1972-1978.
The Lady Knights’
success under Kyvallos
received national recognition
and on Feb. 22,
1975, Madison Square
Garden invited Queens
College and Immaculata
to play the first-ever collegiate
women’s basketball
game at the world’s
most famous arena.
Nearly 12,000 fans came
out to witness the historic
event, with Immaculata
edging Queens in a thrilling
contest.
Kyvallos’ story extended
beyond Queens, when, in
1977, she was named head
coach of the United States
women’s basketball team
at the World University
Games in Sofia, Bulgaria,
where she she led USA to a
silver medal, losing only to
the Soviet Union in the gold
medal game.
Kyvallos also served on
the United States Olympic
Committee from 1969 to
1972 and from 1974 to 1976.
Kyvallos’ 1972-73 squad
was the first women’s basketball
team to be inducted
into the New York City
Basketball Hall of Fame.
She was also inducted into
the NYC Basketball Hall
of Fame herself, along
with the West Chester College
Hall of Fame, and the
Lucille Kyvallos is one of 12 finalists for the 2019 class of the
Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame. Courtesy of Queens College
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