KNOXVILLE, TN – Former West Chester University women's basketball coach, and one of the legendary pioneers of the game of basketball for women in this country, was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame on June 14, 2025.
Kyvallos coached the Golden Rams women's team from 1962 to 1966 racking up an overall record of 52-3 in those five seasons, including an undefeated 10-0 season in her final year at West Chester in 1965-66. Her induction into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame marks the fifth hall of fame that Kyvallos owns membership in.
Kyvallos was one of seven members inducted into the hall of fame this past June, joining Alana Beard, Sue Bird, Mark Campbell, Danielle Donehew, Sylvia Fowles and Cappie Pondexter.
After getting her start in college coaching at West Chester, Kyvallos moved on to Queens College (NY) and carved out an equally impressive career on their sideline from 1968 to 1982 where she posted a record of 239-77. In 2017, Queens College renamed its basketball court Lucille Kyvallos Court in her honor.
During her illustrious coaching career, Kyvallos became an advocate for women in the sport of basketball and made countless contributions to the advancement of women's basketball. From 1969 to 1971, Kvallos served on the Women's Basketball Rules Committee for the Division of Girl's and Women in Sports (DGWS) helping to move the game from a "Rover" format to the next step towards 5-on-5, which is played today. She continued to serve on the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) rules committee from 1972 to 1976 serving as the chair of the committee from 1976 to 1979.
Kyvallos piloted Queens College to the 1973 AIAW National Championship game versus Immaculata University. Two years later, in 1975, Queens played Immaculata in Madison Square Garden in New York City marking the first women's basketball game played in the garden with over 12,000 spectators looking on.
She was later named the head coach of the U.S. Women's Team at the 1977 World University Games, leading the U.S. team to a silver medal. She served on the U.S. Olympic Committee from 1969 to 1972 and again from 1974 to 1976.
In 1976, Kyvallos was named the national coach of the year while steering Queens College to a 20-5 record and a spot in the national tournament.
She owns membership in the Springfield College Athletic Hall of Fame, Queens College Athletics Hall of Fame, New York City Basketball Hall of Fame and the West Chester University Athletics Hall of Fame.
Kyvallos joins a pair of other former West Chester University women's basketball honorees in the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame increasing the number of WCU representatives to three. Former head coach Carol Eckman was a member of the Class of 1999 while Marion Washington was a member of the Class of 2004.
