[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 61 (Monday, April 3, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5029-S5030]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          PERFECT SEASON FOR UNIVER- SITY OF CONNECTICUT WOMEN

  Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I am holding up in my hands the front page 
of today's Hartford Courant, which reads ``Perfect.'' It shows a 
photograph of the University of Connecticut women's basketball team and 
the score of the game, 70 to 64, over Tennessee.
  Mr. President, you will certainly appreciate the fact that there is a 
certain 
[[Page S5030]] amount of local pride in the Nutmeg State this morning. 
The women's basketball team completed their tremendous season, 35 and 
0. It is the best record ever compiled by a men's or women's basketball 
team, culminating in the NCAA title against Tennessee. The other team 
that went undefeated, 34 and 0, was the University of Texas in 1986.
  What makes this team unique is the intellectual as well as the 
athletic ability of its players. The star player--I am hesitant to use 
the word--Rebecca Lobo, was chosen first team All American and first 
team Academic All American the last 2 years. She is a candidate for a 
Rhodes scholarship and winner of every Player of the Year Award this 
season. She has compiled a 4.0 grade point average during her last 2 
years at the University of Connecticut and is the No. 1 women's 
basketball player in the United States.
  She is joined on that remarkable team that won the championship game 
yesterday by Jennifer Rizzotti, Kara Wolters, Jamelle Elliott, Pam 
Webber, Nakisha Sales and many other talented players. Rebecca Lobo, 
Jennifer Rizzotti, Kara Wolters, and Jamelle Elliott were named to the 
all-tournament team. It is the first time that four players from one 
team were named to that honor.
  Mr. President, today is a day of great pride in the State of 
Connecticut because of the accomplishment of this great team.
  I wish to pay a special tribute to Geno Auriemma, the head coach of 
the team, who did a remarkable job this season, and to the fans. You 
could not get a seat in Gampel Pavilion this year; they sold out every 
single game.
  Mr. President, I am going to include in the Record as well, a couple 
of side-bar stories that go to the heart of a few other issues. The 
stories are about young women in the State of Connecticut, 9-, 10-, 12-
year-olds, who were watching this team during the last year and who 
have become tremendous fans. It goes to the issue of title IX and the 
success of a program, a women's program, a basketball program. Just a 
few years ago you probably would have found only a handful of people 
watching a women's basketball game, not only at the University of 
Connecticut but all around the country. And today, as I mentioned a 
moment ago, there are sell-out audiences, sell-out crowds. This is a 
great tribute to title IX and those who fought so very hard for that 
program.
  We are very proud in Connecticut today. We have always had to export 
our team allegiances to either the Boston Red Sox, the New York Knicks, 
the Mets, or others. Lately, we have had a hockey team which has not 
done terribly well, but now there is deep pride over this remarkable 
team that did a fantastic job in their quest for a national 
championship.
  I join my colleague, Senator Lieberman, who I know spoke already, in 
congratulating all the people involved in this great season.
  Mr. BRADLEY addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from New Jersey.
  Mr. BRADLEY. Mr. President, I would like to offer my congratulations 
as well to the women's team at the University of Connecticut, and I 
would like to call attention to a quote by its star player, Rebecca 
Lobo, in this morning's Washington Post. When she was asked what the 
victory meant to her, she said:

       This is just a picture-perfect way for someone to end their 
     career. We are undefeated, we won a national championship and 
     I did it with people I love.

  Mr. President, that openness is remarkable and should be applauded, 
and it correctly captures the feeling among members of a 35 and 0 team 
that wins a championship, and that is true both of a men's team that 
would win a championship and a women's team that wins a championship. 
My hope is that someday when a men's team wins a championship, the star 
player can say those exact words and feel as comfortable saying them as 
Rebecca Lobo did yesterday.
  I congratulate Connecticut for this tremendous accomplishment and 
Rebecca Lobo for her courage and leadership in difficult times in her 
own family situation, because of her mother having breast cancer, and 
also because of her determination that was shown every day that she 
went out onto the court with her teammates.
  Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I thank my colleague from New Jersey for 
those comments. She is a remarkable young woman on a remarkable team, 
and the joy of watching them win was only exceeded by their joy in 
winning. There are no NBA careers in front of them. There are no six-
figure, seven-figure salaries awaiting these young women--just the joy 
of playing the game, the joy of victory and the joy of doing it 
together. It needs to be heralded. It needs to be highlighted. We need 
to get back to that very spirit of amateur sports.
  I congratulate as well the team from Tennessee. Tennessee has won 
several national championships in the women's basketball division. They 
lost to Connecticut yesterday, but they are a great team and a great 
champion as well. I just know we are going to see more and more of 
them. I think it is a wonderful thing in America to be able to watch 
young women get the kind of attention they did.
  By the way, the President called the coach yesterday. It is the first 
time a President has ever called an NCAA women's champion after the 
title game. I congratulate and thank President Clinton for making that 
call to the Connecticut women's basketball team.
  They went down to the White House last year and could not get in. 
There was a long line. They were here in the office and met with 
Senator Lieberman and me, but they had to go back to their schedule and 
practice, so they could not get in to the White House. Yesterday, the 
coach asked the President if this time they might be able to come 
through the front door of the White House. The President extended an 
invitation to them to visit, and it is going to be a pleasure to go 
there with them and have them walk in the front door of the White House 
as the national champions.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor.
  Mrs. BOXER addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from California is recognized.
  Mrs. BOXER. I thank the Chair.
  Mr. President, I wish to say to the Senator from Connecticut that I 
share his pride in those young women. And certainly, as a woman who 
does not quite make 5 feet tall, I am particularly awed by these women 
and their skill. We still have UCLA, as you know, Mr. President, going 
toward a championship, we hope. But I really have to say to the 
Senator, it made me feel so good to watch these young women.
  I do hope someday they have more of a future. If they can sink the 
ball in the basket with the best of them, they ought to have a chance. 
That is a subject for another day and another time.

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