Long Beach State University Athletics
Toler and Brown to Have Their Numbers Retired
12/19/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Toler and Brown Re-United in the Raftors of The Walter Pyramid LONG BEACH, CA-- Final Four teammates Cindy Brown and Penny Toler, two of the greatest players in Long Beach State women's basketball history, will have No. 53 and No. 4 hung in the raftors of the Walter Pyramid during a ceremony at halftime of the January 27 game against UC Irvine. "Long Beach State has a storied tradition in women's basketball. Since I arrived here, Ihave worked to educate our players about the tradition and the goal has been to strive to live up to it," said current Head Coach Mary Hegarty. "I am thrilled to be able to honor Cindy and Penny by retiring their uniforms. Not only were they outstanding collegians here at the Beach, they both went on to tremendous international and professional success and continue to represent this program in a distinguished manner. Their legacy continues and serves as a reminder to current teams and players that the expectations for Long Beach State Women's Basketball are extremely high." The duo will join fellow retirees: volleyball players Tara Cross (No. 14), Antoinette White (No. 7), Danielle Scott (No. 2), Misty May (No. 5)and Brent Hilliard (No. 7), men's basketball players Ed Ratleff (No. 42) and Lucious Harris (No. 30) and fellow women's player, and Wade Trophy winner LaTaunya Pollard (No. 15). Brown played from 1983 to 1987 and was instrumental on the 49ers' first Final Four team in 1987, earning All-America honors two times. The Pacific Coast Athletic Association Player of the Year in 1987 finished her career second all-time in career points (2696) and first in total rebounds (1184), blocks (318) and steals (400). Posting a career average of 21.0 points per game, she set the single-season scoring record with 974 points, second-highest in NCAA history, in 1986-87. Brown went on to earn a gold medal at the 1988 Olympics. Toler played on both Final Four teams in 1987 and 1988, also earning All-America honors during each of those seasons. Toler is one of just three players to score over 2000 points (2193) while averaging 21.7 points per game from 1986 to 1989. Toler also racked up a school-record 513 assists, tallying a school-record 237 in 1986-87. Toler was a two-time conference player of the year, earning the honor following the 1988 and 1989 seasons. Toler, the general manager of the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks playd three seasons in the WNBA from 1997 to 1999. More information on the Sparks can be optained by this link. The duo combined to go 33-3 in 1986-87, while Toler led the 49ers to a 28-6 record in 1987-88. Both teams, under Head Coach Joan Bonvicini finished the season ranked No. 4 nationally. |
