Living Legend
EAST PEORIA — On Feb. 3, Hall of Fame coach Lorene Ramsey stayed after the Illinois Central College women’s basketball 61-54 victory over Jefferson College to share her life story in honor of National Women’s and Girl’s sports day.
For all that are unfamiliar with the history women’s basketball at ICC, the idea of it at first wasn’t very popular. That was until 1969 when Ramsey decided to push the idea onto the women around the campus.
“I put announcements up all over campus for men’s and women’s basketball intramural tournaments. 200 men signed up and eight women signed up,” said Ramsey. Since there weren’t enough women to even scrimmage each other, Ramsey suggested for them to play with the men. The women quickly denied that suggestion. The only other option was to form their own team and play against other women’s college teams.
Ramsey’s accomplishments would not stop at being a pioneer of the team, but would continue by forming a winning tradition for the women’s basketball and softball teams that still are being carried on 45 years in the making.
Ramsey holds four NJCAA National Basketball Championships, two NJCAA National Softball Championships, is a member of the Women’s Basketball and Softball Hall of Fame and was an assistant coach for team USA in 1981.
She coached the ICC women’s basketball team for 33 years producing an overall record of 887-197 and also an astounding record of 840-309 as the softball coach.
Ramsey is a living legend for ICC athletics and will continue to be a role model for all future coaches who are given the honor to coach in Lorene Ramsey Gymnasium. But Ramsey wasn’t focused on building her success, she was focused on bringing success to the lives of her players.
“We’ve placed 98 student-athletes at Division one schools, and 57 student-athletes at 33 Division two, three and NAIA schools,” said Ramsey. “Division one isn’t for everybody, you’re better off if you start at Division two or three school, than being a twelfth man on a Division one team.”
The foundation that she has laid over 45 years is remarkable and the progress will only continue to expand. Going from a court 68ft long and 42ft wide to an amazing facility the CougarPlex with a regulation size court is quite the accomplishment.