L. Margaret Wade

In a cool and deliberate manner, Margaret Wade methodically assembled a dynasty at Delta State that remains unrivaled in women’s basketball. Wade, who played at Delta State for three years, saw the program eliminated by an administration that deemed the sport too strenuous for girls. Despite protests that included the burning of uniforms, the Delta State women’s program was dormant for 41 years. An outstanding coach at Cleveland High School in Mississippi for 19 seasons with a 453-89 record, when Delta State resurrected women’s basketball in 1973, Wade, at age 60, became coach. With her blend of discipline, humor, and caring, the program exploded. Her first team compiled a 16-2 record, and the next three seasons produced an unprecedented three AIAW championships and a 93-4 record that included a 51-game winning string. Margaret Wade’s legacy is remembered annually each year when the top women’s collegiate player is awarded the Wade Trophy.