Mel Greenberg Media Award Explained

The Mel Greenberg Media Award, named after Women's Basketball Hall of Fame Legend Mel Greenberg, is presented annually by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) to "a member of the media who has best displayed a commitment to women’s basketball and to advancing the role of the media in the women’s game".

Selection process

The inaugural award was given to Mel Greenberg in 1991 by the WBCA. Thereafter, future winners have been selected by the past recipients. Candidates for consideration must "have had a positive impact on the growth and national or regional exposure of the sport, been involved in the media exposure of women’s basketball for a minimum of five years and should be a media ambassador for the women’s game."

Presentation

The award is presented annually at the WBCA Award ceremony, during the annual WBCA Convention, which is held each year in conjunction with the NCAA Women's Final Four.

Award winners

• 1991—Mel Greenberg, Philadelphia Inquirer
• 1992—Debbie Becker, USA TODAY
• 1993—Jane Burns, Des Moines Register
• 1994—Mimi Griffin, MSG Promotions/ESPN
• 1995—Mike Augustin, St. Paul Pioneer Press
• 1996—Debby Jennings, University of Tennessee
• 1997—Mitch Parkinson, Southern Illinois University
• 1998—Mary Garber, Winston-Salem Journal
• 1999—Ann Meyers Drysdale, ESPN
• 2000—Vic Dorr, Richmond Times-Dispatch
• 2001—Robin Roberts, ABC News
• 2002—Bob Kenney, Courier Post
• 2003—Mechelle Voepel, Kansas City Star/ESPN
  • • 2004—Tam Flarup, University of Wisconsin–Madison 2005—Dave Loane, University of Illinois 2006—Bill Jauss, Chicago Tribune
• 2007—Debbie Antonelli, CSTV
• 2008—Dan Fleser, Knoxville News-Sentinel
• 2009—Chuck Schoffner, Associated Press
• 2010—Dick Patrick, USA Today
• 2011—Carol Stiff, ESPN
• 2012—Mike Carmin, Lafayette Journal & Courier
• 2013—Vicki Friedman, Freelance Writer
• 2014—Mary Jo Haverbeck (deceased), Penn State SID^[1]  
• 2015—Graham Hays ESPN
• 2016—Brenda VanLengen
• 2017—Ken Neal, Fox Sports
• 2018—Doug Feinberg, The Associated Press
• 2019—Michelle Smith-McDonald
• 2020—Maria M. Cornelius
• 2021—LaChina Robinson, ESPN
• 2022—Holly Rowe, ESPN and Charles Hallman, Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
• 2023—Cheryl Coward, and Danny Davis
• 2024—Patricia Lowry, ESPN

See also

• Mel Greenberg

Notes and References

1. Web site: Former Penn State Associate SID Mary Jo Haverbeck honored with 2014 WBCA Mel Greenberg Media Award. March 18, 2014. 2 July 2014. WBCA. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20140715054101/http://www.wbca.org/pages/RELEASES_2013-14_031814_mel-greenberg-recipient. 15 July 2014.