Basketball, the first sport for women at West Point, changed hearts and minds. It demonstrated to many that women deserved to be at the nation’s oldest military academy, training to be Army officers alongside their male counterparts — a controversial idea at the time. Hoops and Heroes captures how the women’s basketball team in the 1970s played a key role in positively transforming attitudes toward female cadets, and not just in sports.
The early teams laid a sturdy foundation for a program that is now more than 50 years old and bursts with compelling stories of athletic prowess, patriotism, perseverance, sacrifice, sisterhood and leadership — all expertly woven through an entertaining narrative.
This interactive second edition takes you from the hardwood to the barracks to the battlefield as cadets, coaches and other insiders share stories with award-winning writer Susan Shackelford — many speaking publicly for the first time on sensitive topics such as gender, race and sexuality. Shackelford is also co-author with Pamela Grundy of Shattering the Glass: The Remarkable History of Women’s Basketball.
Among fascinating Hoops and Heroes personalities are team captain Christi Stevens and teammate Carol Barkalow from the first class with women; coach Lynn Chiavaro, fresh off her own pro career in the Women’s Basketball League; and Lisa Hamel, the first player to be ousted for her sexuality.
Other stories feature Pam Pearson, the program’s first inductee to the Army Sports Hall of Fame; Katie Macfarlane, the first to try out for the WNBA; and Dawn Halfaker, whose bravery in the second Iraq War brought an enormous cost. And who can forget coach Maggie Dixon who, in one season, captured the hearts of her players and the nation; and Kelsey Minato, a scoring sensation who took on Steph Curry in a shooting contest. Who won is still debated.
The nearly 500-page volume features a comprehensive index (new in this edition), wide-ranging feature pictures and every team photo through the 2025-26 season. The book has drawn raves from well-known coaches and military leaders.
“Reading Hoops and Heroes is an educational and inspiring must-read for basketball fans and civilians. Anyone who isn't familiar with the everyday life of a cadet — let alone the life of a female cadet during the late '70s, when West Point started to integrate women into the mix with their male counterparts — will find it intriguing. Add in the life of a serious college athlete — and the author paints a picture of true bravery and a commitment to excellence, as well as a love of country and humanity all rolled up into one exceptional read!”
—Coach Becky Hammon, Las Vegas Aces, three WNBA Championships
“The incredible demands that athletes face at West Point — not just in competition but in everyday preparation to be the best — are brought to the forefront by Susan in Hoops and Heroes. What a tribute this book is to all the women who dared to show who they were and could be, giving those who followed a foundation to build on. You are an inspiration to all of us. As are the legacies of my good friends who were your coaches, especially Dave Magarity and the late Maggie Dixon, who forever changed how we lead.”
—Coach Geno Auriemma, University of Connecticut, 12 NCAA Championships
“Author Susan Shackelford is a brilliant, detailed journalist who has exquisitely captured a collection of women’s stories from their cadet days to their historic, meaningful careers.”
—Brigadier General (retired) Rebecca Halstead, West Point ’81, first female academy graduate to achieve general officer
