Georgeann Wells

Georgeann Wells is an All-American basketball player at West Virginia University (WVU) who became the first woman to register a dunk in an official NCAA intercollegiate basketball game.^[1] She did so with a regulation-size ball (a men's basketball)

Wells's feat occurred on December 21, 1984, against the University of Charleston (WV) with 11:18 remaining in the game. WVU won the game 110-82. It was played at the Randolph County Armory in Elkins, West Virginia, during the Mountaineer Christmas Classic basketball tournament. The accomplishment was covered extensively in the national media, including Sports Illustrated. The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame featured Wells's accomplishment in a dedicated exhibit, and Wells was honored at an NCAA luncheon in New York. No woman again dunked in an official game until 1994, and then with the intermediate (a women's ball).

Wells was a heavily recruited 6-foot 7-inch center from Northland High School in Columbus, Ohio. In addition to her historic slam dunk, Wells enjoyed a remarkable career for the WVU women's basketball team. She was a four-year letterwinner, scoring 1,484 points and pulling down 1,075 rebounds. Her 436 blocked shots is the all-time record for women at WVU.^[2]

As center for WVU, Wells earned many honors, including

• Third Team, All-American (1985)
• Freshman All-American (1983)
• First Team, All-Atlantic 10 (1985, 1986)
• Second Team, All-Atlantic 10 (1984)

References