Veteran coach urges teams, players to attend
and show support of WNBA and Marynell Meadors
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – One might think that Bill Worrell has
seen it all when it comes to women’s basketball.
Wrong.
The Hall of Fame coach directed a successful women’s team
at Tennessee Tech for 20 years, ringing up a long list of
conference championships and post-season appearances. His teams
produced dozens of all-conference and all-America players. They
faced top-ranked teams and battled some of the biggest names in
women’s basketball history.
But, one thing Worrell does not have on his list of experiences is
watching a WNBA game live-and-in-person.
So, when it was announced that the Atlanta Dream – coached
by his friend and former mentor Marynell Meadors – is playing
an exhibition game against the Washington Mystics in Tennessee
Tech’s Eblen Center on May 9, Worrell was the first person at
the ticket window to purchase his seats.
“This is going to be a great event,” Worrell said.
“It’s a chance to see Marynell and say ‘thank
you’ for all that she’s done for women’s
basketball, and a chance for women’s basketball fans to see a
WNBA game.
“Marynell Meadors is one of the primary reasons
women’s basketball is so popular and successful in this
area,” he said. “Coming to this game is a great way to
celebrate women and women’s basketball.”
The game will be held Sunday, May 9, at 3 p.m. in Eblen Center.
Tickets are on sale, with special discounts available for families
and athletic groups such as high school teams.
“I’d really like to see the gym packed for this
game,” Worrell said. “I think tickets for this would
make a great ‘Mother’s Day’ gift, and I think
people will really enjoy what they see. I’d love to see every
high school girls team in the area in the stands, because I know
they’ll enjoy it.”
Worrell sat on the bench next to Meadors serving as her top
assistant coach for five seasons, then took over the TTU reins in
1986 when she became head coach at Florida State.
He only got one opportunity to coach against Meadors during his
20-year career at the Tech helm, facing the Seminoles at a
tournament at the University of California during the 1992-93
season. Florida State claimed an 88-72 victory.
“She had a really good team that year, and we had a really
good team that year,” Worrell recalled. “That was the
only time we met.”
Meadors was named head coach and general manager of the Dream two years ago, and last year she was named the WNBA Coach of the Year. Her roster this year includes some popular names in the women’s game, including former University of Tennessee star Chamique Holdsclaw.
“Several of the players in this game have played in this
gym or attended camp here,” Worrell said.
Watching this game will give Worrell a new experience, and the
fact that it’s Meadors’ team makes it special, he says.
“I’ve followed her career and we’ve talked
quite a bit over the years,” he said. “She’s also
been back here a few times for games.”
Still, he has not seen her WNBA team play in person.
“I’ve never taken the opportunity to go to see her
team play in Atlanta,” he said. “I’ve watched
several of her games on TV over the years, but I’m really
looking forward to this.”
Tickets for the game are $10 each. Tech also is offering several discounted ticket options, including tickets for $5 each for athletic groups. That includes athletic teams of any age as long as the tickets are purchased as a group.
There is also a special ‘Mother’s Day’ family package that includes four tickets for $30.
Tickets for all Tennessee Tech students, faculty and staff are
$5 each with a valid TTU ID.
Tickets are on sale at the Athletics Ticket Office in Eblen Center
(931-372-3940) or online at TTUsports.com.
Click here to order tickets online
Shown in photo above -- Standing in front of some of
the many trophies his teams captured during his tenure at the helm
of the TTU women's basketball program, Hall of Fame coach Bill
Worrell receives his tickets from ticket manager Sandy Zimmerman
for the WNBA exhibition game in Eblen Center scheduled for Sunday,
May 9.
