A legendary player in West Virginia University women’s basketball history has passed away. Donna Abbott, a two-time all-state performer who was a star for the Mountaineers from 1989 to 1992 and helped Huntington East High win the state championship in 1987, passed away on Sunday night in Huntington. She was 52.
In 1989 and 1992, when the state’s top high school basketball prospects were leaving for other states, she was one of seven players with state ties who played for West Virginia’s first two NCAA Tournament teams.
The 1989 West Virginia team that defeated St. Joseph’s and Temple, stunned Penn State in Rec Hall, and won the Atlantic 10 tournament to win its first-ever title and make an NCAA Tournament appearance had Abbott as an immediate starter at forward.
Also during that season, she scored a career-high 37 points in WVU’s 84-68 loss to St. Joseph’s.
Sophomore season
Abbott averaged 15.8 points per game as a junior in 1991 and a career-high 17.3 points per game during her sophomore season in 1990.
For WVU’s groundbreaking basketball team in 1992, Abbott averaged 14.2 points and 10.1 rebounds per game despite playing through a chronic knee injury that required her to wear ice bags whenever she wasn’t playing.
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Her 1,656 points and 1,020 rebounds at the end of her stellar career made her one of only three players in school history to have both more than 1,000 points and more than 1,000 rebounds.
She has the ninth-highest career scoring average in school history with 15.3 points per game.
Abbott was selected for the All-Atlantic 10 first team three times, including her senior year in 1992.
Earlier this fall, Donna received her induction into the WVU Sports Hall of Fame.
Donna Abbott’s age and death.
In 1970, Donna Abbott was born. She has achieved remarkable things in her basketball career. When she passed away in Huntington, West Virginia, she was only 52 years old.
Donna Abbott’s career in basketball.
In 1989 and 1992, when the state’s top basketball prospects were leaving for other states, Donna Abbott was one of the seven West Virginia high school basketball players who competed for the state’s first two NCAA Tournament squads.
While Susan Robinson of Doddridge County High School went on to play for Penn State and garner All-American honors, Mary Ostrowski of Parkersburg Catholic and Amy Gamble of John Marshall chose to play for Tennessee, and Vicky Bullett of Martinsburg High School was one of Maryland’s all-time greats, Mary Ostrowski and Gamble both made the decision to play for Tennessee.
In 1989 and 1992, when the state’s top high school basketball prospects were leaving for other states, she was one of seven players with state ties who played for West Virginia’s first two NCAA Tournament teams.
The 1989 West Virginia team that defeated St. Joseph’s and Temple, stunned Penn State in Rec Hall, and won the Atlantic 10 tournament to win its first-ever title and make an NCAA Tournament appearance had Abbott as an immediate starter at forward.
Also during that season, she scored a career-high 37 points in WVU’s 84-68 loss to St. Joseph’s.
Basketball team
Abbott averaged 15.8 points per game as a junior in 1991 and a career-high 17.3 points per game during her sophomore season in 1990.
For WVU’s groundbreaking basketball team in 1992, Abbott averaged 14.2 points and 10.1 rebounds per game despite playing through a chronic knee injury that required her to wear ice bags whenever she wasn’t playing.
Her 1,656 points and 1,020 rebounds at the end of her stellar career made her one of only three players in school history to have both more than 1,000 points and more than 1,000 rebounds.
She has the ninth-highest career scoring average in school history with 15.3 points per game.
Abbott was selected for the All-Atlantic 10 first team three times, including her senior year in 1992.
