BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - One of the greatest players in women's college basketball and WKU history returned home on Sunday afternoon to see the Lady Toppers practice as Clemette Haskins attended practice and spoke with the team.
"My teamamate, Coach Clark-Heard, to see her leading this team in this facility was a bit overwhelming," said Haskins. "When I walked in the practice gym and saw the history of all the women's players, I did cry. It's just amazing to look at all the history that is on the wall and to see the fine players that Coach Heard has recruited and to see her directing the team was overwhelming and a great joy."
Haskins spent over an hour speaking with the team and taking questions about her life and career at WKU from members of the WKU team and staff.
Haskins is currently enrolled at the Claremont School of Theology in California where she is working on her doctorate. She expected to graduate in May 2016 after the completion of her dissertation.
Haskins was named an All-American in 1984, 1986 and 1987, helping WKU to the Final Four in 1986 where she earned All-Tournament Team honors. Her 1,762 career points are among the most in program history. She attempted more field goals than any other Lady Topper in program history at the time with 1,604 shots. She held all assists records at WKU upon her graduation with 731 in her career. Her 232 assists in the 1985-86 season were also a WKU record. She dished out 13 assists in a single game twice, setting school records.
Haskins starred at Warren Central High. A two-time Kodak and Parade Magazine All-American selection, she led Warren Central to a state title as a senior. She was a two-time Courier-Journal All-State selection after compiling a 132-21 record in five seasons during her prep career. She finished with four district titles, two regional crowns and the 1983 state title. She averaged 21.7 points and 9.1 rebounds per game as senior. At the time, Haskins set ten school records for Warren Central, including points cored in a career at 2,808, an average of 18.5 points per contest.
She set her prep career high with 46 points against Hughes-Kirk. She also had 16 assists against Hughes-Kirk as an eighth grade player. Her career best in rebounds came as a junior against Russellville with 21. At the time of her graduation, she held school records in points in a game (46), season (826), and career (2808), most assists in a game (16), season (230) and career (556), most steals in a game (16), and season (134), best free throw percentage in a season (.752) and most field goals in a career (873).
She was later named the head coach at Dayton. Alongside her father, Clem Haskins, the duo is believed to be the first father-daughter head coaching combination in NCAA Division One history.
WKU returns to the court on Monday evening at Belmont in Nashville for a 6:00 p.m. CT tipoff against the Bruins.
The game will be available online on the OVC Digital Network. Audio will be live streamed on www.wkusports.tv with Barry Williams (play-by-play) on the call. The game can also be heard live on ESPN 102.7 FM and 1450 AM in the Bowling Green area and worldwide via the TuneIn app.
The Lady Toppers follow their trip to Nashville with three road games to begin play in their inaugural season in Conference USA, beginning in Huntington, W. Va., against Marshall on Jan. 4. WKU also plays at Charlotte on Jan. 8 and Old Dominion on Jan. 10 before returning home on Jan. 15 against Florida Atlantic for the annual Spread the Red Education Game at 11:00 a.m. CT.
Season tickets and single-game tickets are on sale now and can be purchased online at WKUSports.com or by calling the WKU Ticket Office at 1-800-5-BIG RED or 745-5222 locally.
HOW TO FOLLOW THE LADY TOPPERS: For complete information on Lady Topper Basketball, visit www.wkusports.com, follow the program on Facebook at www.facebook.com/WKUWomensBasketball, follow the program on Instagram via "LadyTopperHoops" or follow the program on Twitter via @LadyTopperHoops.
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