The Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame honors men and women who have contributed to the sport of women’s basketball. The Hall of Fame opened in 1999 in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA. Knoxville is known for having a large women’s basketball following as well as being the home of the University of Tennessee‘s Lady Vols basketball team previously coached by legendary women’s coach Pat Summitt who was part of the first class inducted.
Our FCN Media Officer Erica Ayala was there to watch all the action and even catch up with a few coaches to ask them a few questions. As well as her interview with inductee Louise O’Neal, Erica caught up with Chris Dailey
Below is her exclusive interview with Chris Dailey, the University of Connecticut’s Associate Women’s Head Basketball who works alongside Geno Auriemma.
Chris Dailey Interview from Female Coaching Network on Vimeo.
Chris Dailey
The University of Connecticut’s Associate Women’s Head Basketball Coach Chris Dailey, who recently completed her 27th season with the program, has spent her life and her career promoting women’s athletics. “I love the competition,” says Dailey. “I love the opportunity to have an impact on young women’s lives.”
An outstanding player for Rutgers University Head Coach Theresa Grentz, Dailey’s four seasons at Rutgers–from 1977 to 1982–saw her teams post an astonishing 108-23 win/loss record. With Dailey as team captain, the Rutgers Scarlet Knights won the 1982 AIAW Division I National Championship.
Chris Dailey served as Assistant Coach at Cornell from 1982-’83 and at Rutgers from 1983-’85 before arriving at UConn in 1985. Along with outstanding coaching ability, Chris is the Coordinator of UConn’s successful recruiting efforts. Her influence is national and global, as UConn’s Basketball Program attracts recruits from 29 different states and six foreign countries.
1992 saw Dailey inducted into Rutgers University Lady Knights Hall of Fame. In 2002, Chris was inducted into the prestigious New Jersey Sports’ Writers’ Association Hall of Fame and was honored with that organization’s Distinguished Service to Basketball Award. Also in 2002, Dailey received the Clare Award from the Franciscan Life Center, an award given to women who exemplify leadership, commitment to athletics, and service to the community.
FCN Media Officer – Erica Ayala is a sports writer with bylines at Double G Sports, MyWSports, Excelle Sports and the Female Coaching Network. She has covered events such as the WNBA Draft, the Inaugural National Women’s Hockey League (NWHL) Isobel Cup Finals, and the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement of Sheryl Swoopes. As a member of the Elon University softball team, she was selected as a 2006 Arthur Ashe Sports Scholar. Erica received her B.A in Political Science, with a minor in African-American Studies in 2008. In 2015, she received the Elon University Top 10 Under 10 Award from the Young Alumni Council. It is her love for sports and passion for advocacy that has brought Erica to sports writing. As a former athlete, she feels strongly about providing other children, especially girls, the opportunity to excel in athletics. As an advocate, she is drawn to the mission to continue to promote gender equity in the coverage, the funding and the compensation of girls and women in sports.
