Ann Meyers Drysdale (born Ann Elizabeth Meyers; March 26, 1955) is an American former basketballplayer and sportscaster. She was a standout player in high school, college, the Olympic Games, international tournaments, and the professional levels.
As one of Elevate Phoenix’s Board of Directors, we wanted to highlight some of her amazing accomplishments. View the video to see her achievements.
- The first four-time Kodak All-American (1975, 1976, 1977, 1978)
- The first woman to receive a full athletic scholarship to UCLA
- The first high school girls’ basketball player selected for a U.S. National Team
- The first player drafted by the Women’s Basketball League (WBL), leading the league in scoring and garnering MVP honors as a member of the New Jersey Gems as a rookie
- The first, and only, woman to be signed to an NBA contract when she signed as a free agent with the Indiana Pacers in 1979
- Started on the first women’s Olympic basketball team, earning a silver medal at the Montreal Games in 1976
- Participated in the Pan American Games, earning a gold medal in 1975 and a silver medal in 1979
- Helped lead UCLA to the AIAW National Championship as a senior in 1978
- Scored 1,685 points and collected 819 rebounds (17.4 ppg, 8.4 rpg) during her four years at UCLA
- Graduated from UCLA holding 12 school records
“Sports teach so much character, teamwork, leadership, self-confidence, and
self-esteem. There are so many important lessons learned from athletics.”
-Ann Meyers Drysdale