Carol Blazejowski
Carol Ann Blazejowski ( born September 29, 1956 in Elizabeth, New Jersey) is a former American basketball player and sports manager. She is considered one of the best points foragers in college basketball in the U.S.. As a forward for the Montclair State University, she scored 1974-1978 on average 31.7 points per game. In addition to this record Blazejowski recorded with 38.6 points per game also yield the highest points within a game time for yourself. She was appointed to various national representative teams, including the women's team who could participate for the USA at the 1980 Olympic Games. She won as top scorer with the U.S. team the gold medal of the Basketball World Championship 1979. Recognition of their achievement as a player Blazejowski was appointed to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1994.
Career
College
After Blazejowski struck at her high school in Cranford with their offensive play, they convinced the coach of the women's basketball team, Montclair State University, there to take their college career in attack. In the first game Blazejowskis year, it achieved an average of 33 points per game. The next three seasons she was named All-American in each case. With a total of 3,199 points Blazejowski had to end their four-year career at Montclair achieved the highest yield among all female and male college players up to this point. She was also the first female athlete to the university, whose jersey number was excluded in honor of the future award.
Peak in Blazejowskis college career was a game of their team against the team of Queen's College, which was held in March 1978 at Madison Square Garden. Before the then record crowd of 12,339 spectators at a Damenbegnung Blazejowski scored the stadium record of 52 points in a game. Halftime Montclair was still down with 11 points and Blazejowski had scored 14 points. In the last twenty minutes Blazejowski converted 17 of 21 litters. Montclair won with 102 to 91
National teams and professional career
Following her college Blazejowski played two years in the Amateur Athletic Union ( AAU). In 1979 she was appointed to the national selection for the ultimately victorious Team USA for the World Championships in 1979. This was followed by a nomination for the Olympic team in 1980. Though the team to Blazejowski nor the qualifying tournament for the Olympic Games in Sofia, Bulgaria, denied it was not due to the boycott of the government under Jimmy Carter sent to the title fights.
1980 wrote Blazejowski a three - year contract with the New Jersey Gems in the professional league WBL. With $ 150,000, this was the time by far the most lucrative contract in the league. However, the WBL disbanded a year later.
An appeal to the Olympic team for the 1984 Games in Los Angeles failed because Blazejowski had forfeited by their one-year professional career in the then necessary amateur status.
More career
After her active career as a player Blazejowski spent ten years working at the sporting goods manufacturer Adidas. From 1990, she worked in various management positions for the National Basketball Association, among others, as responsible for licensing marketing.
From 1995 to 1996 Blazejowskis area of responsibility changed and she became head of the Women's Basketball Division of the NBA. As a result, she was appointed in charge of basketball development of the newly formed professional league Women's National Basketball Association ( WNBA). As early as 1997, however, she became vice president and general manager in the team management of the New York Liberty. In 2008 she was promoted to president of the association.
After 14 years as general manager of Liberty Blazejowskis contract was not renewed. She left the team and the WNBA. Since February 21, 2011 Blazejowski is at her alma mater, Montclair University, served as Vice President for University Development.
Awards
Carol Blazejowski was the first player who has been awarded the Wade Trophy for the best basketball player in college level in the United States in 1978.
- Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame: 1994
- Women's Basketball Hall of Fame: 1999
- National Polish - American Sports Hall of Fame: 1994