June Olkowski Explained

June Olkowski
Birth Date: November 3, 1960
High School:St. Maria Goretti
(Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
College:Rutgers University
Highlights:
  • Kodak All-American (1982)

June Olkowski (born November 3, 1960)[1] is a former college basketball player and coach, who was head coach of the women's teams at the University of Arizona, Butler University, and Northwestern University.

Olkowski, a 6'0" forward, attended St. Maria Goretti High School in Philadelphia.[2] She played college basketball at Rutgers University, where, as a senior, she was a member of the 1982 team that won the final AIAW women's basketball tournament. She then entered coaching, holding the following positions with women's college basketball teams:[3]

Olkowski was elected to the National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame in 2012.

USA Basketball

Olkowski was named to the team representing the US at the inaugural William Jones Cup competition in Taipei, Taiwan. In subsequent years, the teams would be primarily college age players, but in the inaugural event, eight of the twelve players, including Olkowski, were in high school. The USA team had a record of 3–4, finishing in fifth place, although one of the wins was over South Korea, who would go on to win the gold medal.[4]

Olkowski was named to the team representing the US at the 1979 World University Games, held in Mexico City, Mexico. The USA team won all seven games to take the gold medal. The USA team played and beat Cuba twice, the team that had defeated them at the Pan Am games. Olkowski averaged 4.3 points per game.[5]

Olkowski was named to the team representing the US at the 1980 William Jones Cup competition in Taipei, Taiwan. The USA team ended with a 7–2 record, which was a three-way tie for first place. The tie-breaker was point differential, and the USA did not win the tie-breaker, so ended up with the bronze medal.[6]

Olkowski was named to represent the US at the 1981 William Jones Cup competition in Taipei, Taiwan. The team won seven of eight games to win the silver medal for the event. Olkowski scored 10.3 points per game and recorded a team high eleven assists, earning a spot on the All-Tournament team.[7]

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: NU fires women's coach. Bill Jauss. Chicago Tribune. March 11, 2004. November 10, 2018. Olkowski, 43.
  2. Too Far, Too Fast. Kent Hannon. Sports Illustrated. March 20, 1978.
  3. http://www.polishsportshof.com/?page_id=408 June Olkowski page, National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame
  4. Web site: June 10, 2010. 1977 Women's R. William Jones Cup. https://web.archive.org/web/20150907032315/http://www.usab.com/history/additional-usa-basketball-history/r-williams-jones-cup-team/1977-womens-r-william-jones-cup.aspx. dead. September 7, 2015. USA Basketball. November 10, 2018. age 17 in July 1977.
  5. Web site: June 10, 2010. Tenth World University Games -- 1979. https://web.archive.org/web/20150907023703/http://www.usab.com/history/world-university-games-womens/tenth-world-university-games-1979-1.aspx. dead. September 7, 2015. USA Basketball. November 10, 2018.
  6. Web site: 1980 Women's R. William Jones Cup. https://web.archive.org/web/20150907024018/http://www.usab.com/history/additional-usa-basketball-history/r-williams-jones-cup-team/1980-womens-r-william-jones-cup.aspx. dead. September 7, 2015. USA Basketball. November 10, 2018. age 19 in May 1980.
  7. Web site: June 10, 2010. 1981 Women's R. William Jones Cup. https://web.archive.org/web/20150911231951/http://www.usab.com/history/additional-usa-basketball-history/r-williams-jones-cup-team/1981-womens-r-william-jones-cup.aspx. dead. September 11, 2015. USA Basketball. November 10, 2018. age 20 in July 1981.