Introduction: Cheyney State University
Cheyney State College (now Cheyney University of Pennsylvania), located in Cheyney, Pennsylvania, holds a venerable place in American higher education and HBCU history. Founded in 1837, it is the oldest historically Black college or university (HBCU) in the United States. Its athletic programs—especially basketball—have had moments of extraordinary achievement, despite limited resources.
In women’s basketball, Cheyney State’s 1981–82 Lady Wolves, under coach C. Vivian Stringer, produced a landmark season. Their run in that season remains unique among HBCUs.
The 1981–82 Cheyney State Lady Wolves
Background and Context
Coach: The team was led by C. Vivian Stringer in her 11th season at Cheyney. Stringer would later go on to national prominence at Rutgers and Iowa, but her work at Cheyney laid the foundation for her reputation.
Institutional status: Although Cheyney was a Division II school, for the 1981–82 season the Lady Wolves competed as an NCAA Division I independent in women’s basketball.
Team composition: The roster included eight high school All-Americans. Key players included Valerie Walker, Yolanda Laney, Debra Walker, Faith Wilds, among others.
Regular Season and Ranking
The Lady Wolves finished the regular season with a record of 28-3.
They reached a No. 2 ranking in the AP polls.
Tournament Run
In the inaugural NCAA Division I women’s basketball tournament (1982), Cheyney made a deep run, defeating teams like Auburn, NC State, Kansas State in earlier rounds.
In the Final Four, they defeated Maryland 76-66 to reach the championship game.
Championship Game
The final was held March 28, 1982, at the Norfolk Scope in Norfolk, Virginia.
Cheyney State played Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters, coached by Sonja Hogg.
The Lady Wolves lost 76-62.
Historical Significance
Here are several key points that make the 1982 Cheyney team extraordinarily important in the history of women’s college basketball and HBCU athletics:
- Only HBCU to play in an NCAA Women’s Division I Championship Game. To this day, no other historically Black college or university has reached the NCAA Division I women’s national title game.
- Only HBCU to reach the Final Four in women’s NCAA Division I more than once. Cheyney also made the Final Four in 1984, giving them multiple appearances.
- Trailblazing under constraint. The Lady Wolves were a small school with limited financial and scholarship resources, yet they defeated multiple Division I programs and competed at the highest level.
- Coach Stringer’s leadership. The season helped launch C. Vivian Stringer into the national spotlight. Later she would lead Iowa and Rutgers (among others) to Final Fours, becoming one of the most respected women’s basketball coaches in U.S. history.
- Recognition and legacy. The 1982 team has been honored in recent years, including by the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame as “Trailblazers of the Game.” Players like Valerie Walker and Yolanda Laney have been candidates for Hall of Fame consideration.
Challenges and Decline
While the 1982 season was a high point, Cheyney’s women’s basketball (and broader athletic) program also has had struggles. Some of these include:
Funding and resource constraints. As with many smaller HBCUs, financial resources for athletics have been limited. This affects recruiting, scholarships, facilities, travel, etc. The 1982 team often did not have the same level of institutional support or facilities as powerhouse schools.
Program instability. In recent years, Cheyney has faced periods where the women’s basketball program was not active, including seasons without sponsorship.
Maleek Thee Moor🇲🇦, [9/20/2025 10:51 AM]
Competitive shifts. Since the early 1980s, women’s NCAA basketball has expanded dramatically, with many more schools investing in women’s sports, more TV exposure, more recruiting, etc. This expansion has raised the baseline level of competition, making it harder for small schools with limited resources to make deep runs.
Broader Context: HBCUs and Women’s NCAA Basketball
Cheyney State’s 1982 run stands out in comparison to other HBCUs in the women’s NCAA tournament in several respects:
While some HBCUs have had successful seasons and have won NCAA tournament games, none have matched Cheyney’s achievement of reaching both the Final Four and the championship game in Division I.
The NCAA women’s tournament started under NCAA governance in 1982; before that, many women’s programs competed under the AIAW. Cheyney’s success came in that first NCAA-run tournament, giving them a pioneering role.
Legacy
The legacy of the 1981-82 Cheyney State Lady Wolves is multifaceted:
Symbol of possibility. They are an enduring symbol that HBCUs—regardless of size or budget—can compete at the top level, if there is strong coaching, talent, teamwork, resilience.
Inspiration for women’s basketball. Many of the players from that team have expressed the pride and motivation they feel when reflecting on what they accomplished, especially given the obstacles they overcame.
Recognition. As mentioned, recent honors (the Hall of Fame nominations, media retrospectives) show that the broader basketball and sports history communities are increasingly aware of and seeking to celebrate Cheyney’s achievements.
Awareness of what’s lost and what could be. The fact that the program later lapsed for seasons and that continued support has been inconsistent highlights how much is at risk when schools with fewer resources cannot sustain their athletic programs. It raises larger questions about equity, funding, and recognition in college sports, especially for women’s sports and HBCUs.
Conclusion
Cheyney State’s 1982 Lady Wolves occupy a singular place in NCAA and HBCU history: the only historically Black university women’s team ever to reach the NCAA Division I national championship game; one of the few HBCU women’s teams to make multiple Final Four appearances.
Their story is one of courage, excellence, and resilience. Despite being a small college with limited resources, they competed—and nearly triumphed—on the biggest stage available. Their season remains a benchmark against which achievement for HBCU women’s programs is often measured.
As new generations of athletes, coaches, and administrators work toward greater equity and recognition in college athletics, the story of Cheyney 1982 offers both inspiration and challenge: it shows what is possible, and reminds us of the work still needed to ensure that such achievements are not outliers, but part of a broader, more inclusive sporting culture.
