As the WNBA Playoffs are drawing to a close we take this time to remember Carol Blazejowski: 1 of the greatest scorers in the history of women’s basketball. At Montclair State College she was a 3-time All-American, won the inaugural Wade Trophy as the best female player in the nation, and led the nation in scoring in both 1977/1978. She later worked in the NBA front office and as president of the New York Liberty before returning to her alma mater as Associate Vice President for University Advancement. She was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1994 and the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 1999. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with “The Blaze” about being a great scorer and making the Hall of Fame. Today is her birthday so let us be the 1st to wish her a happy 1!
Your nickname is “The Blaze”: who gave it to you, and how do you like it? The media gave me that name while I was at Montclair State: I love it. When I returned here everyone called me “Carol” but I never responded because I was so used to hearing “Blaze”!
You led the nation in scoring in back-to-back years at Montclair State with 34 PPG in 1977 and 38.6 PPG in 1978: what is the secret to being a great scorer? Practice, focus, and commitment: it takes hours and hours of dedication. Scoring was my strength but all I wanted was a win, otherwise it was all for naught.
On March 6, 1977 you set a Madison Square Garden record with 52 PTS in a game against Queens College: was it just 1 of those scenarios where every shot you put up seemed to go in because you were “in the zone”? It was an 11AM tip-off, which was pretty early. We trailed in the 1st half and I was playing awful. I picked up my 4th foul early in the 2nd half and my coach called a timeout. He said that he was not taking me out and that I should just keep taking jump shots, so I did.
You were a 3-time All-American and won the inaugural Wade Trophy as the national POY in 1978: what did it mean to you to win such outstanding honors? Nobody even knew where our school was half the time so I was proud to give us some name recognition. It was a tremendous honor, especially because there will never be another “1st” person to win the Wade Trophy.
In the 1978 AIAW Final 4 you scored 40 PTS in an 8-PT loss to eventual champion UCLA: how close did you come to getting the win, and how much of a home-court advantage did the Bruins have at Pauley Pavilion? It was Ann Meyers’ birthday so they had even more emotion than normal: she is still a great friend of mine. I was inspired by playing in such a historic building where John Wooden had coached but I do not recall the crowd affecting the outcome of the game. UCLA had a great team and beat us fair and square: we later won the 3rd-place game in OT to get a little salvation.
After being cut from the 1976 Olympic team, you were chosen for the 1980 Olympic team but did not get to play due to the US boycott: as someone who accomplished so much during your career, how does it feel to have missed out on playing in the Olympics? Getting cut in 1976 motivated me to work hard for the next 4 years to make it in 1980: it was a great honor to be named captain of that team. There was no pro league for women back then so the Olympics were the pinnacle of our sport. It was out of my control that we could not compete but I feel confident that we would have won. I was emotionally and mentally distraught, which took its toll on me, but I am proud to have been an Olympian.
You spent several years working in the NBA’s front office: what did you do, and how did you like it? I had 2 different jobs. I was a director of licensing, which was fantastic because I got to work with fun products. I later worked for USA Basketball under Val Ackerman and worked on the game plan for the WNBA, which was a wonderful learning experience. I am a basketball junkie so working for the NBA was a big deal for me.
In 1994 you were inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame: where does that rank among the highlights of your career? It is right up there. As a kid there were not even college scholarships for women, nor a pro league, so it never crossed my mind that I would ever end up in the Hall of Fame. It is special when you look at the roster of inductees such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar/Larry Bird. I look forward to going back each year for the annual induction ceremony.
In 1999 as GM of the New York Liberty you became what is believed to be the 1st pro sports executive to publicly acknowledge that you are gay: why did you decide to come out, and what was the reaction like? We were having children and I thought it was a big deal to be honest with myself and my children and the public. It was a bold step but it was the right decision and I have never looked back. It took a little bit of courage/security in myself but it was not about me.
In 2011 you were named Associate VP for University Advancement at your alma mater: what have you been able to accomplish so far, and what do you hope to do in the future? Never in my wildest dreams did I think that I would find my way back to the place where I started. It has been an adjustment to go from corporate America to the educational sector, but it has helped my work-life balance. I do a lot of marketing/communications within my pretty big portfolio: we are the 2nd-largest school in New Jersey behind Rutgers. I would love to get back into athletics in some capacity down the road but am just enjoying watching my son play basketball. I would also love to retire and play some golf and be on a beach someday!