Eastern Michigan Athletics
Photo by: EMU Athletics/Randy Mascharka
Laurie Byrd's No. 4 Jersey To Be Retired Saturday, Feb. 5
1/17/2011 3:15:56 PM | Women's Basketball
Flint, Mich. native is the first women's basketball player to have to jersey hung in the rafters
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — Eastern Michigan University will retire the No. 4 jersey of former women's basketball great Laurie Byrd during a halftime ceremony with Byrd in attendance at the Feb. 5 basketball game against the University at Buffalo. The contests begins at 2 p.m. inside the Convocation Center.
Byrd, who is the program's all-time leading scorer with 1,899 career points, will become the first EMU women's basketball player to have her jersey hung in the Convocation Center rafters. She joins EMU men's basketball greats George Gervin, Grant Long and Kennedy McIntosh as the only other players to have the honor bestowed upon them.
A prolific scorer while at EMU, Byrd has remained the program's all-time leading scorer for 29 seasons. She is the only player in the program's history to lead her team in scoring and assists in each season in which she competed. Additionally, Byrd still holds EMU career records for scoring average (19.2 ppg), field goals made (854) and field goals attempted (1,788).
Currently, an assistant coach for the WNBA's New York Liberty, Byrd previously served as an assistant coach with the Houston Comets in 2008. In the 2007 season, she was the Comets' director of player personnel. Prior to heading to Houston, Byrd served as an assistant coach for three seasons (2003-2005) with the Detroit Shock, which included the 2003 WNBA Championship.
She first entered the coaching ranks at the University of Detroit Mercy as an assistant for three seasons (1999-2002).
Byrd had an extensive professional playing career in the American Basketball League and the Women's Basketball Association. She played on the San Jose Lasers and the Atlanta Glory with the ABL and played on the Kentucky Marauders and the Chicago Spirits with the WBL. Byrd also spent time playing overseas. She played seven seasons on numerous basketball clubs in Sweden, Italy, Spain and Switzerland.
The Flint, Mich. native has received many awards and honors during her career, including being inducted into the E-Club Athletic Hall of Fame in 1993 and the AAU Hall of Fame in 1993. In 2003, she was the Think Detroit Honorary Double Goal Coach of the Year.
The Feb. 5 women's game is the first part of a doubleheader with the EMU men's basketball team, who tangle with Miami University 30 minutes following the conclusion of the EMU-UB contest. Tickets for the game are available by calling 734.487.2282, online at EMUTix.com, or by visiting the Convocation Center box office.
Byrd, who is the program's all-time leading scorer with 1,899 career points, will become the first EMU women's basketball player to have her jersey hung in the Convocation Center rafters. She joins EMU men's basketball greats George Gervin, Grant Long and Kennedy McIntosh as the only other players to have the honor bestowed upon them.
A prolific scorer while at EMU, Byrd has remained the program's all-time leading scorer for 29 seasons. She is the only player in the program's history to lead her team in scoring and assists in each season in which she competed. Additionally, Byrd still holds EMU career records for scoring average (19.2 ppg), field goals made (854) and field goals attempted (1,788).
Currently, an assistant coach for the WNBA's New York Liberty, Byrd previously served as an assistant coach with the Houston Comets in 2008. In the 2007 season, she was the Comets' director of player personnel. Prior to heading to Houston, Byrd served as an assistant coach for three seasons (2003-2005) with the Detroit Shock, which included the 2003 WNBA Championship.
She first entered the coaching ranks at the University of Detroit Mercy as an assistant for three seasons (1999-2002).
Byrd had an extensive professional playing career in the American Basketball League and the Women's Basketball Association. She played on the San Jose Lasers and the Atlanta Glory with the ABL and played on the Kentucky Marauders and the Chicago Spirits with the WBL. Byrd also spent time playing overseas. She played seven seasons on numerous basketball clubs in Sweden, Italy, Spain and Switzerland.
The Flint, Mich. native has received many awards and honors during her career, including being inducted into the E-Club Athletic Hall of Fame in 1993 and the AAU Hall of Fame in 1993. In 2003, she was the Think Detroit Honorary Double Goal Coach of the Year.
The Feb. 5 women's game is the first part of a doubleheader with the EMU men's basketball team, who tangle with Miami University 30 minutes following the conclusion of the EMU-UB contest. Tickets for the game are available by calling 734.487.2282, online at EMUTix.com, or by visiting the Convocation Center box office.
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