Carol Blazejowski Hall of Fame NBA

Carol "The Blaze" Blazejowski was the premier scoring sensation of women’s basketball in the 1970s. A 5'10" forward with a lethal jump shot and a relentless competitive drive, she put up numbers at Montclair State University that remain legendary. In 1977, she famously scored 52 points at Madison Square Garden—a record for any collegiate player, male or female, at the time—setting the stage for her to become the first-ever recipient of the Wade Trophy in 1978.

While Blazejowski’s on-court career was marked by her incredible scoring (averaging 38.6 points per game in her senior year), it was also defined by the era's limitations. Despite being named captain of the 1980 U.S. Olympic Team, the U.S. boycott of the Moscow Games robbed her of her Olympic moment. After a stint as the MVP and leading scorer of the Women's Basketball League (WBL), she successfully transitioned into a powerhouse executive. She was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1994.

Blazejowski's Awards and Records

• WBL scoring leader (1981)
• USA Basketball Female Athlete of the Year (1980)
• Wade Trophy (1978)
• 3x Kodak All-American (1976–1978)
• Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame (Inaugural Class, 1999)
• World Championship Gold Medalist (1979)
• USA Basketball Female Athlete of the Year (1980)

NBA Teams

Allentown Crestettes (1978–1980)
New Jersey Gems (1980–1981)