From the playgrounds of Buffalo to the NCAA Sweet 16 run of St. Bonaventure and the 2025 WNIT title for the University at Buffalo, women from Western New York have pioneered on the court.
Jessica Jenkins played women's basketball at St. Bonaventure from 2008 to 2012, the most successful four-year span in program history. Her senior season, the Bonnies went 31-4 overall, 14-10 in the Atlantic 10, and were ranked as high as 19th in the Associated Press poll. The team advanced to the Sweet 16 in the program's first NCAA Division I tournament appearance. That senior season, Jess was the first team All-Atlantic 10 selection and a Naismith National Player of the Year finalist.
Sue Shay Danielewicz was a standout forward for the St. Bonaventure University women’s basketball. A 1992, she played for M.J. Telford serving twice as a co-captain. Sue was a member of the Atlantic 10 All-Rookie team in 1999-89 after setting the program’s single season scoring record with 590 points. She earned All A-10 honors her sophomore, junior and season seasons.
Kathryn Rafter was a member of the Niagara University women’s basketball program from 1971 to 1975. In 1974, she became the first female student athlete elected to the Athletics Advisory Council, which helped implement Title IX at Niagara and was a pioneer in having women’s sports officially recognized on Mont Eagle Ridge. She is a member of the Niagara University Athletic Hall of Fame and the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Honor Roll.
Mary Roickle is a 1975 graduate of Niagara University. She coached the Purple Eagles women's basketball team from 1976 to 1980 with a career record of 84-19 and led the 1978-79 team to a third place finish at the AIAW National Tournament. Mary is a member of the Niagara University Athletic Hall of Fame and the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Honor Roll.is a 1975 graduate of Niagara University. She coached the Purple Eagles women's basketball team from 1976 to 1980 with a career record of 84-19 and led the 1978-79 team to a third place finish at the AIAW National Tournament. Mary is a member of the Niagara University Athletic Hall of Fame and the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Honor Roll.14-10 in the Atlantic 10, and were ranked as high as 19th in the Associated Press poll. The team advanced to the Sweet 16 in the program's first NCAA Division I tournament appearance. That senior season, Jess was the first team All-Atlantic 10 selection and a Naismith National Player of the Year finalist.
Kathleen Sweet played four sports at Clarence High School, but basketball was where she made the most impact. She led the Clarence girls’ basketball team to four straight Section VI titles and was named the Most Valuable Player at the 1982 New York State Basketball Tournament. She went on to play at Boston College, graduating in 1987 with 1,006 career points with 597 career rebounds. As team captain during her senior season, she played a key role as the Eagles reached their first Big East Championship Game during the 1987 Conference Tournament. She went on to graduate from the Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law in 1990.
Dorothy “DJ” Jones was a 1,000-point scorer at McKinley High School, earning All-New York State honors as a senior in 1984. She went on to play at Louisville, finishing her collegiate career with 804 points and 399 assists in 114 games. She kept her ties to the game by becoming a basketball official, working both high school and NCAA games. She also spent 25 years with the New York State Police. DJ was inducted into the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame.
Tara VanDerveer graduated from Buffalo Seminary in 1971, starting her college career at Albany before transferring to Indiana. After coaching stops at Idaho and Ohio State (where she coached Buffalo native Yvette Angel), Tara took over the women’s basketball program at Stanford in 1986, building a powerhouse over 38 years with three national championships. She retired in 2024 with 1,216 career wins. Tara also coached the US women’s national team to gold at the 1996 Olympics. She is a member of numerous halls of fame, including the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame, the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Gina Castelli was standout athlete at Archbishop Carroll High School, receiving All-Catholic honors in basketball three times and volleyball twice. She went on to Canisius College, where she played for the legendary Sister Maria Pares. Her freshman season, the Griffs went to the Elite 8 of the 1983 NCAA Division II championship and earned Honorable Mention Freshman All-American honors. Castelli went on to coach women’s basketball at Siena College in Albany, N.Y. for 22 years where she was named the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Coach of the Year five times. Castelli then coached for eight seasons at LeMoyne College in Syracuse. She is a member of the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame and the Canisius College Hall of Fame.
Donna Ditota, who grew up in Syracuse, N.Y., played basketball at St. Bonaventure University from 1979 to 1983. She was a four-year starter and two-time team MVP. At the time of her graduation in 1983, she held the team record for rebounds and blocks. Donna began her career as a sports reporter for the Syracuse Post Standard in 1986, spending the majority of her career covering Syracuse University men's basketball. She was the first woman to be named the New York Sportswriter of the Year in 2023, and was elected to the U.S. Basketball Writers Association Hall of Fame in 2024, along with numerous honors from her alma mater and the Jandoli School of Communications.
Yvette (also spelled Yevette) Angel played for Sister Maria Pares at Sacred Heart Academy, averaging 23.9 points and earning Parade Magazine Second Team All-American in 1981. She played at Ohio State University for Tara VanDerveer, graduating in 1985 as the school’s fourth all-time leading scorer, leading the program to four straight Big 10 titles, a Final Eight appearance in the NCAA tournament, and All-American honors. She is a member of the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame.
Texlin Quinney played at the Buffalo Academy of the Sacred Heart from 1988-1992, leading the team to the New York State Federation Championship her senior season. Texlin went on to play Division I basketball at Seton Hall helping the Pirates to their first two NCAA tournament appearances including a run to the Sweet 16 in 1994. She played one season (2000) for the WNBA’s Indiana Fever before an injury ended her professional basketball career. Texlin has her bachelor’s and MBA from Seton Hall along with a Master of Divinity from the Interdenominational Theological Center and a doctorate in philosophy from Clarke Atlanta University.
Noelani Cornfield is a Seneca Nation, Cattaraugus Territory, Gowanda native. She was a second-team All-Western New York selection in 2019 playing for Lake Shore High School. She started her college career at Northwest Florida, then played at Southern Miss before playing the 2024-25 season with the University at Buffalo. She was named to the WNIT all-tournament team helping the Bulls win the WNIT postseason title, setting records for Big 4 women’s basketball success.
MJ Telford played basketball at St. Bonaventure from 1971 to 1975. She became head coach in 1976 and in 1986 became the first full-time coach in any sport other than men’s basketball at the university. She coached through 1993 finishing with 201 career wins, guiding the program from Division II to NCAA Division I status in the Atlantic 10.
Kara Haun Rehbaum played basketball at Canisius College from 1980 to 1984, graduating as the program’s all-time leader scorer at the time. In 1984, she played professionally for the Atlanta Comets in the Women’s American Basketball Association. She returned to Canisius as an assistant coach in 1986 and was named head coach in 1993. Kara joined the Hilbert College athletic department staff in 2004 and today she is the assistant athletics director and sports information director for Hilbert. Kara was inducted into the Canisius College Athletics Hall of Fame in 1995 and the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame in 2023.
Cecelie Owens played basketball and volleyball at South Park High School in Buffalo, graduating in 1980. She went on to play basketball at Buffalo State where she set 19 program record. In 1998, she became the first female African-American inducted into Buffalo State College Athletic Hall of Fame and was inducted into the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame in 2024. Following her playing days, Owens worked in education in the Buffalo Public School district as a teacher, program coordinator and assistant principal. In 2007 she founded the non-profit G.I.R.L.S. Sports Foundation, Inc., providing opportunities and mentorship for young women in Buffalo.
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