Pine Bluff– The first ever women’s basketball Pro Day was held at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Tuesday October 29, at the H.O. Clemmons Arena. WNBA legend, four time WBA Champion, and two time League MVP Cynthia Cooper-Dyke was the special guest speaker.
She talked about why she decided to accept the invitation:
Cooper-Dyke signed with the University of Southern California after attending Locke High School, where she competed in basketball and track and field. She led her team to the 4A California State Championship in basketball, scoring an average of 31 points per game, earning her the Los Angeles Player of the Year Award.
At USC, Cooper-Dyke led the Women of Troy to NCAA tournament appearances in all four years, Final Four appearances in three of her four years, and back-to-back NCAA tournament titles in 1983 and 1984. Cooper-Dyke closed out her collegiate career with an appearance in the 1986 NCAA tournament championship game and a spot on the NCAA Final Four All-Tournament Team.
Cynthia started her professional career in Spain before returning stateside, and playing for the Houston Comets from 1997 to 2000. She was named the Most Valuable Player of the WNBA Finals all four years and currently holds the record for most Finals MVPs. The Chicago, Illinois native spent 2001-02 coaching with Phoenix Mercury before returning to Houston. Cooper-Dyke was also a member of the gold medalist 1988 US Olympic Women’s Basketball Team and the Bronze Medal team in 1992.
In May 2005, Cooper was named the head coach of the women’s basketball team at Prairie View A&M University, where she took the underdog Panthers to their first SWAC women’s basketball tournament title and NCAA tournament appearance in only her second season. Cooper-Dyke was named SWAC Coach of the Year for 2007. She also had stints at UNC-Wilmington, two stops at Texas Southern, and at USC.
First year Lady Lions’ Head Coach Erica Leak, who was drafted to the WNBA in 2005, was ecstatic to host Cooper-Dyke and talked about having her for Pro Day.
The Lady Lions tip off their season on the road in Stillwater, Oklahoma Monday November 4, 2024, against Oklahoma State University.
