Montreal, Canada • July 18- 27, 1976

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After the International Olympic Committee decided to raise the number of participating basketball teams in the Olympics from 16 to 18, the International Basketball Federation decided that the Olympics would now host a six-team women's basketball competition. Although a World Championship in women's basketball had been held every four years since 1953, women's basketball reached a milestone in 1976 with its first Olympic competition.

1976 USA RESULTS (3-2) Japan 84 USA 71 USA 95 Bulgaria 79 USA 89 Canada 75 USSR 112 USA 77 USA 83 Czechoslovakia 67 1976 OLYMPIC GAMES FINAL STANDINGS 1. Soviet Union (5-0) 2. United States (3-2) 3. Bulgaria(3-2) 4. Czechoslovakia (2-3) 5. Japan(2-3) 6. Canada(0-5)

Having finished eighth at the 1975 World Championship, before the U.S. women could set their sights on an Olympic medal, they first had to qualify for the 1976 Olympics. The USSR, Japan and Czechoslovakia had qualified for the '76 Games by virtue of their top three finishes at the 1975 World Championship, and Canada, as the host country, had also qualified, leaving two open spots. An Olympic Qualifying Tournament featuring nine teams was held in Hamilton, Canada, and the U.S. compiled a spotless 5-0 mark to earn the first qualifying spot, while Bulgaria finished second to take the other.

Despite a competitive Olympic field, the USSR clearly proved to be the best. Entering the 1976 Games with a winning streak that had not seen the Soviet women lose a major international game since 1958, the USSR continued its domination over its international foes at the 1976 Olympics. Earning the first Olympic women's basketball gold medal with a perfect 5-0 record, Jullana Semenova, a 7'2' center, led the Soviets averaging 19.4 points and 12.4 rebounds a game while spending more than half her time on the bench.

The USA hopes for gold were jeopardized right from the start when Japan recorded an 84-71 victory. Four of Japan's starting five played the entire 40 minutes, and Japan's Keiko Namai scored a game high 35 points, while Lusia Harris recorded 17 points and seven rebounds for the U.S. in the setback.

Nancy Dunkle, Patricia Roberts, and Ann Meyers scored 17, 16 and 15 points each as the U.S. rebounded for a convincing 95-79 win over Bulgaria. Getting the better of host Canada two days later, 89-75, the USA's offense was spearheaded by Dunkle's 15 points and by Juliene Simpson's 14 points.

The long awaited match-up between the USA and the Soviet Union ended in a lopsided loss for the Americans, as the Soviets rolled to a 112-77 win. The 7'2' Semenova dominated the U.S. for 32 points and 19 rebounds in just 23 minutes of action, while the USA was paced by Harris' 18 points and 10 rebounds.

Meeting Czechoslovakia and in need of a win in order to secure the silver medal, the U.S. broke open the tight contest in the second half to claim an 83-67 win. Tied 37-37 at halftime, the U.S. outscored Czechoslovakia 46-30 in the second half to earn the win. Harris led the U.S. with 17 points, while Dunkle added 14, and Roberts, Susan Rojcewicz, and Simpson each chipped in 10 points.

The USA's silver medal finish served a notice to the rest of the world that the United States would be a contender for the gold in 1980. U.S. head coach Billie Moore said it best, 'I think we've closed the gap.

1976 USA WOMEN’S OLYMPIC TEAM ROSTER

NAME	POS	HGT	WGT	AGE	SCHOOL	HOMETOWN
Cindy Brogdon	F	5-10	155	19	Tennessee	Buford, GA
Nancy Dunkle	C	6-2	155	21	California-State Fullerton	La Habra, CA
Lusia Harris	F	6-2	180	21	Delta State	Minter City, MS
Pat Head	F	5-10	155	24	Tennessee-Martin	Ashland City, TN
Charlotte Lewis	C	6-2	180	20	Illinois State	Peoria, IL
Nancy Lieberman	F	5-9	140	18	Far Rockaway H.S.	Far Rockaway, NY
Gail Marquis	F	5-11	165	21	Queens College	St. Albans, NY
Ann Meyers	G	5-8	135	21	UCLA	La Habra, CA
Mary Anne O'Connor	G	5-10	158	22	Southern Connecticut State	Fairfield, CT
Patricia Roberts	F	6-1	150	21	Tennessee	Monroe, GA
Sue Rojcewicz	G	5-7	135	23	Southern Connecticut State	Worcester, MA
Juliene Simpson	G	5-6	156	23	John F. Kennedy	Roselle Park, NJ
HEAD COACH: Billie Jean Moore, California State University
ASSISTANT COACH: Sue Gunter, Stephen F. Austin University(TX)
MANAGER: Jeanne Rowlands, Northeastern University(MA)
ATHLETIC TRAINER: Gail Weldon, Western Illinois University(MA)

1976 USA WOMEN’S OLYMPIC TEAM CUMULATIVE STATISTICS

NAME	G	FGM-FGA	PCT	FTM-FTA	PCT	REB/AVG	PTS/AVG	AST
Harris	5	29-46	.630	18-28	.643	35/7.0	76/15.2	7
Dunkle	5	26-51	.510	13-18	.722	26/5.2	65/13.0	10
Roberts	5	23-44	.523	14-24	.583	19/3.8	60/12.0	3
Meyers	5	19-46	.413	10-11	.909	16/3.2	48/9.6	26
Simpson	5	12-34	.353	16-16	1.000	18/3.6	40/8.0	22
Rojcewicz	5	16-44	.364	4-6	.667	10/2.0	36/7.2	19
Brogdon	5	10-37	.270	9-10	.900	10/2.0	29/5.8	5
Head	5	12-31	.387	1-2	.500	27/5.4	25/5.0	7
O'Connor	5	7-13	.538	8-10	.800	12/2.4	22/4.4	8
Lieberman	5	4-9	.444	4-4	1.000	6/1.2	12/2.4	1
Lewis	2	1-5	.200	0-0	.000	3/1.5	2/1.0	0
Marquis	1	0-2	.000	0-0	.000	0/0.0	0/0.0	0
USA	5	159-362	.439	97-129	.752	182/36.4	415/83.0	108
OPP.	5	170-337	.504	77-96	.802	164/32.8	417/83.4	123