Anne Donovan - College

College

Donovan, now 6' 8", was the most recruited player in the nation going into college. Only two years earlier, Anne's talented sister Mary received only a handful of offers before going to Penn State. In 1979, Anne would receive offers from more than 250 schools, including a recruiting pitch from Penn State's Joe Paterno. Despite the personal plea, she chose to follow Nancy Lieberman to ODU. At Old Dominion University (ODU), the center led the Lady Monarchs to the 1979-80 Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women basketball championship. She was the first female Naismith College Player of the Year in 1983. She set ODU career marks for points (2,719), rebounds (1,976), and blocked shots (801), and seasonal marks for most games played (38), most minutes played (1,159), most field goals (377), and field goal percentage (.640). She averaged a double-double for her entire career, with 20 points and 14½ rebounds per game. Donovan's 50 points in a single game against Norfolk State on December 11, 1980 is still a school record, while her 801 career blocked shots is still best in NCAA history.

While at ODU, Donovan helped the Lady Monarchs win the 1980 AIAW national title (their second straight) with a 37-1 record. She has ten blocks and seventeen rebounds in their win over Tennessee. In 1981, ODU finished third in the AIAW National Tournament, having compiled a 28-7 record.

The first two NCAA Women's Final Fours (1982 and 1983) were hosted by ODU at Scope in Norfolk, Va. In 1982, Old Dominion (28-7) lost to Kansas St. in the East Regional Semifinals. In Donovan's senior year, the Lady Monarchs (29-6) advanced to the 1983 Final Four in their home town, but lost 71-55 in the National Semifinals to their then arch rivals from Louisiana Tech.