The History of Loyola Women’s Basketball

From humble beginnings to some of Division I’s biggest stages, the Loyola women’s basketball program has grown significantly along with the ever-evolving field of women in sports. 

First started in 1972 by Toni Nessi, a first-year at the time and a photographer for The Phoenix, the team had to fight for recognition. 

Nessi said she’d been inspired by her high school’s physical education teacher, Bonnie Mayhew, who was a tireless advocate for the rights of women’s sports. 

At Loyola, when passing time during school days, Nessi casually played pick-up basketball games with guys around the gym. There, she met George Ireland, the legendary men’s basketball head coach at Loyola from 1951-1978 who led the Ramblers to the 1963 NCAA championship.

Nessi asked Ireland if he’d consider forming a women’s team, and he told her he’d think about it, according to Nessi. 

In the spring of 1972, Nessi put up fliers around campus and found enough girls to start a team. They decided to call themselves the Loyola Rumblers instead of the Ramblers. 

The team enrolled itself into their first competitive tournament at the University of Illinois in 1972, using uniforms from Nessi’s high school, Hubbard High School, since they weren’t sponsored by Loyola. 

Nessi said Ireland eventually caved after the team’s formation, with support from her gym teacher, Janine Monforte. Monforte called Ireland, asking him to start a women’s team, just to get Nessi off her back. 

In the 1970s, women’s sports began earning more attention. Title IX was enacted June 23, 1972, which banned sex discrimination in collegiate sports, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. 

The change was huge for women across all sports and the Loyola women’s basketball team wasn’t afraid to embrace the transformation. 

“Women love to compete,” Nessi said. “They love the competition and camaraderie.” 

Nessi said creating and sustaining the program was difficult because they constantly had to fight to get gym and practice time. 

“Everything about it felt like you were pushing a barrier to have the right to play,” Nessi said. “You were really fighting to play.” 

Despite the challenges, the team continued to grow and gain more recognition. In 1983, then-fourth-year guard and Loyola Hall of Famer Kathy Anderson Twine set the record for career rebounds at 798 in both men’s and women’s basketball — which she still holds to this day, according to Loyola Athletics. Twine was inducted in Loyola’s Hall of Fame in 1983. 

The team later became a member of the Illinois Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women. Under head coach Marty Hawkins, the team earned third place in the IAIAW in the 1979-1980 season after a record of 3-10, according to Loyola Libraries. The NCAA and the IAIAW merged shortly after in 1982, according to Utah State University. 

The team then became participants in the North Star Conference from 1983 to 1986. 

16 years after their founding, the team made an impact on the national stage, finishing as runners-up in the 1987 National Invitational Tournament. 

In 2013, the team was coached by three-time Olympic gold medalist and four-time WNBA champion Sheryl Swoops for three years. Swoops was fired in 2016 due to allegations of mistreating players, according to ESPN. 

The Ramblers returned to postseason play in 2021, playing at the Women’s Basketball Invitational, according to Loyola Athletics. 

Loyola became a member of the Atlantic 10 conference in July 2022, marking a new level of national attention for the Ramblers. 

Though the team has never had an NCAA tournament appearance, they still represent the dedication of women paving their own path, such as when they celebrated National Girls and Women in Sports Day Feb. 15. 

Nessi said women’s basketball has been gaining more traction, attention and attendance. The last home game in the 2024-2025 season recorded their highest number of women’s basketball attendees outside of field-trip days at 1,663, according to Loyola Athletics. 

“I’m so happy to see the big crowds that are going to the women’s games,” Nessi said. “I think that’s tremendous.”