Although the University of New Mexico (UNM) had a women's basketball team as early as 1898, formal intercollegiate play did not start until the 1974–75 season. Hutchison attended New Mexico, graduating in 1967, and played basketball for intramural teams during her time at the school. Occasionally, the teams would play at "sports days" at area schools in Arizona and Utah.[3]
Illinois State
After graduating from UNM, Hutchison was admitted to the master's program at Illinois State University. Her master's thesis involved study of female basketball players to determine whether their hearts could play a full court game. Her research concluded that they could. After she finished her master’s program she became the women’s basketball coach at Illinois state university, from 1970-73, 1974-99.
Some examples of her professional achievements include coaching the women's intercollegiate basketball team, leading them to win second place in the state tournament of 1971.[4] She was also a coach to the Women’s Intercollegiate Softball team in 1972.[5] She led the Women cager team t to a victory in 1975 against Northern Illinois state university with 18 points within 40 minutes.[6] Led her team to win in state competition in AIAW, and won against Illinois southern state university.[7] She was recognized as the reason for the ISU women’s basketball team’s success in the NCAA in the Vidette in 1992.[8]Aside from being a couch, she was also a speaker who was the guest speaker ISU Women’s Recreation association and intercollegiate sports for women in 1970.[9] Although a year later the women and men athletic department were combined and the women’s athletic director position was eliminated she continued to be a coach. aAccording to Hutchison she just “wants to coach.” [10]In 1989, her team won the Gateway Conference championship with 16-2 points. [11] Besides the 28 seasons she spent coaching and administrating at Illinois, and being recognized as “winningest coach in Illinois state basketball history (men or women),” she continued her love to sport through participating in the radio for the Illinois state university sport in 2016.[12]
USA Basketball
Hutchison was named head coach of the team that went to the World University Games in 1983. The team had a record of 5–1, losing only to Romania in an early round. After losing to Romania, the USA team faced a highly regarded Yugoslavia. A win was needed to advance to the medal round. The USA narrowly prevailed, winning 86–85, with Carol Menken-Schaudt contributing 25 points. That set up a rematch with Romania for the gold medal. The Romanians started out strong, and held a 42–36 lead at halftime, but the USA team took the lead back and ended up with a 22-point margin 83–61, to clinch the gold medal.[13] The leading scorer on the team with just under 14 points per game was Joyce Walker,[13] who went on to play for the Harlem Globetrotters.
National championPostseason invitational champion Conference regular season championConference regular season and conference tournament champion Division regular season championDivision regular season and conference tournament champion Conference tournament champion
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