Region XIV recognizes Mary Ann Otwell, women’s college basketball influencer

TYLER, Texas (KLTV) - Thursday night, Region XIV honored Mary Ann Otwell, who revolutionized women’s college basketball.

A former player she coached, Debra Thomas, accepted the coach’s plaque. Miss Thomas played for her at Panola and would also play at SFA, participating in the original women’s pro league, drafted into the WBL.

Thomas had this memory.

“She was a very disciplined kind of person,” Thomas said. “She was a no-nonsense kind of person. When she’d tell you to do something, you better do it. So yeah, when she says curfew time is a certain time, you better be there.”

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