1982-1987
Basketball
Inducted October 22, 2004
134th Inductee
Valery Broadwater enjoyed a record-setting career under head coach Jim Crawley from 1982-1987. A four-year letterwinner at forward, the Lonaconing native helped lead the Bobcats to a 76-29 overall record, two NCAA appearances, three ECAC appearances, one ECAC South Championship and one ECAC South runner-up finish.
She graduated as FSU’s career leader in scoring (1,364), free throws made (305), free throws attempted (384), free throw percentage (79.4) and field goal percentage (47.5). At the time of her induction, her free-throw mark still stood atop the FSU record books, and she ranked seventh on the school’s all-time scoring list and ninth in rebounding (568). She was also 13th in the NCAA Division III record book in career free throw percentage.
As a freshman, Broadwater scored 20 points to lead the Bobcats to a 72-68 win over Trenton State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, the program’s first-ever NCAA victory in three tries to that point. FSU dropped a hard-fought 79-74 contest to third-ranked Kean in the region final and finished 20-5 overall.
After missing the 1983-84 season with a knee injury, Broadwater returned to the court and helped the Bobcats to a 21-5 finish and another berth in the NCAA Tournament. FSU began the year with 17 straight victories and was ranked as high as 14th in the nation. Broadwater averaged 13.9 points and 6.7 rebounds while shooting 81.2 percent (82-101) from the free-throw line to earn honorable mention all-state accolades.
As a junior, Broadwater averaged 12.1 points and 5.2 rebounds to help the Bobcats to a 20-6 finish and the ECAC Southern Championship. Broadwater scored 15 points in FSU’s thrilling 56-55 win over Catholic in the ECAC title game.
Broadwater capped her career with an outstanding senior season, leading the Bobcats in scoring (17.8), field goal percentage (50.5%, 189-374) and free throw percentage (79.6%, 86-108). She also ranked second on the team in rebounding (7.4), blocks (42) and steals (50) as FSU posted a 15-13 record and finished as the ECAC South runners-up. She scored a then school-record 32 points twice and also made a single-season school record 86 free throws.
Broadwater then served as an assistant coach for the Bobcats from 1990-1992, during which time FSU compiled a 48-8 record. The 1990-91 squad finished 26-2 to set school records for most wins and fewest losses, won the ESAC Championship and advanced to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen. The 1991-92 team went 22-6 and won ESAC and ECAC Championships.
