Wayland Baptist Athletics Hall of Honor opening doors to 1948-82 Flying Queens

Following in the footsteps of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, the Wayland Baptist Athletics Hall of Honor will open its doors this fall to the 1948-82 Flying Queens.

The Flying Queens program from 1948-82 was instrumental to changes made in the game of women's basketball. From using community sponsors like the Harvest Queen Mill and Claude and Wilda Hutcherson in its early years, to offering athletic scholarships for women and changing the game to the full-court, 5-on-5 with unlimited dribble, the Queens were at the forefront of women's basketball.

"Wayland can trace its athletic roots back almost to the days of its first class in 1910, but no one can sincerely speak of Wayland athletics without lifting up the group of young women who were truly pioneers during a time when women's athletics were little more than an afterthought at most colleges," said Dr. Greg Feris, former WBU director of athletics and member of the WBU Athletics Hall of Honor selection committee. "The Flying Queens from 1948 through 1982 were arguably one of the most dynamic and exciting sports teams of any era, including those of today.  From their entertaining pregame warm-up to the years of their 131-game win streak, the Flying Queens were by far the pride of not only the Texas Panhandle but most of the southwestern United States."
 
The Flying Queens boast a storied program that includes being the first college to offer women athletic scholarships decades before Title IX. The Queens also hold the record for the longest winning streak in basketball at 131 games, accomplished in a five-year span from 1953-58. The team's history includes numerous all-Americans, 10 AAU national titles, national runner-up finishes, nine consecutive NWIT titles and success throughout the decades that has led to 1,651 wins – more than any team in history.
 
"One can only look back and marvel at what was accomplished during those early years," Feris said. "For those of us who came later to the Plainview campus and Wayland athletics, it was always special to answer the question with a resounding 'yes' when asked: 'Wayland Baptist, is that where the Flying Queens play?' "
 
The Flying Queens will be officially inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass., Sept. 5-7. For more information, visit hoophall.com.
 
An on-campus celebration of their Naismith induction will be held in conjunction with the Flying Queens' induction into the WBU Athletics Hall of Honor during Wayland's 2019 homecoming festivities in Plainview the weekend of Nov. 2. Details on that event are forthcoming.
 
It's the first time in the 27-year history of the WBU Athletics Hall of Honor that just one induction will be made, taking the total number of entries to 106.
 
"No doubt the women who played on those teams helped build a dynasty that will forever give Wayland a place in basketball history," said Feris, who was instrumental in the formation of the WBU Athletics Hall of Fame in 1992. "It's significant for the university to recognize the accomplishments of each of these teams by their inclusion in the Athletic Hall of Honor Class of 2019. Homecoming this year will be extra special as we welcome many of these women back to campus."