Hall of Fame
The 1988-1989 women's basketball team coached by Lauree Gott and assisted by hall of fame member Kissy Walker '03G set the precedent for the culture of the Husson women's basketball program moving forward, while becoming the first women's team in school history to be ranked nationally — reaching as high as No. 13.
Husson began the season by reeling off 15-straight wins, the longest undefeated streak in the modern era of Husson women's basketball at the time of its induction, while producing the longest such streak in 36 years. The team picked up victories over Cape Breton University, University of Maine at Fort Kent (three times), Saint Joseph's College of Maine, University of Maine Machias, Bowdoin College, University of Maine at Presque Isle (twice), University of Maine at Farmington (twice), Vermont State University Lyndon (formerly Lyndon State College), Thomas College, Gordon College and the University of New England.
The Braves set a then school record with 26 victories against just two setbacks, while winning the program's first-ever National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics District 5 Title and Western Maine Athletic Conference Championship and advancing to the NAIA bi-district 14 championship game at home versus St. Thomas Aquinas College. The Braves fell to the Spartans, 65-63, as St. Thomas Aquinas earned the right to represent the bi-district in the NAIA national championship. The Spartans were the only NAIA member to hand Husson a loss that year.
The other setback for the Braves came on Jan. 23, 1989 at home against nationally ranked National Collegiate Athletics Association Division III member, the University of Southern Maine. The No. 5 ranked Huskies defeated the nationally ranked Braves, who ranked 19th in the nation at the time of the game by a final score of 40-39. This game also marked the first ever women's basketball game to be played on the William P. Newman Gymnasium hardwood with both teams ranked nationally.
The 1988-1989 team finished as the fourth best team in New England by the New England Women's Basketball Association (membership included NCAA division III and NAIA members) and the second best team in the State of Maine by the Maine Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women, while becoming the first team in program history to reach the 20-win plateau.
A total of four individual Husson Sports Hall of Fame members helped comprise the 1988-1989 squad, including Chris Hunter '91, Vicki Mazerall '93, Peggy Riitano '89 and Sharon Siebert '91. The team was captained by Riitano, Joyce Belanger, Suanne Hanington '89 and Lisa Bridges '89, and other team members include, Pam Diaz-Rubin, Cheri Lakeman, Susan Lea, Bambi Lincoln, Carol Snowdeal '91 and Lorie Stevens '94.
Three players collected post season accolades — Siebert was named to the to the Kodak All-American Honorable Mention squad, NAIA district 5 team, MAIAW all-state second team, and the All-WMAC first team. Mazerall earned rookie of the year honors from the WMAC, the NAIA district 5 and the MAIAW. Riitano collected MAIAW all-state second team and All-WMAC first team honors. Gott was chosen as the NAIA district 5 and the MAIAW coach of the year.
