Charlotte Lewis (basketball)

Charlotte Lewis

Medal record
Pan American Games
	1975 Pan Am Mexico City, Mexico	Team Competition
Women's basketball
Representing the United States
	1976 Montreal Olympics	Team competition
Representing the United States
	USA Women's World University Games Team	1977 Sofia, Bulgaria

Charlotte Lewis (September 10, 1955 – September 17, 2007) was an American basketball player who competed in the 1976 Summer Olympics.

USA Basketball

In 1975, Lewis was selected to represent the United States' national team in the FIBA World Championship for Women in Colombia and the Pan American Games in Mexico City, Mexico. She teamed up with high school star Nancy Lieberman and fellow college stars Ann Meyers and Pat Head. In the FIBA World Championship, the United States compiled a 4–3 record and finished in eighth place. In the Pan American Games, the United States team went unbeaten in seven games to win the gold medal, their first win since 1963. Lewis averaged 6.5 points per game.

Lewis played on the team representing the USA at the World University Games held in Sofia, Bulgaria in August 1977. The event is also called the Universiade. The team started out strongly, winning their first three games against West German, Mexico, and China, by more than 30 points each. The fourth game, against Hungary was closer, but led by Carol Blazejowski's 31 points, the USA won by ten points. Moving on to the medal rounds, the USA drew Romania. That game was quite close, butt he USA won the game 76–73. The next opponent was the USSR, who had defeated the USA in the prior University Games. The beginning was reasonably close, with the USA down by seven points at halftime, but despite getting 25 points from Ann Meyers, the USSR opened up the lead and won 103–78. The next opponent was Bulgaria, which stayed close, but the USA team won by three points. That set up a rematch with the Soviets for the gold medal. This time, the Soviets started out strong and had a 24-point lead at the half. Although the USA team would outscore USSR in the second half, they did not close the gap enough, and fell 107–90. The USSR defended their gold medal, and the USA team again won the silver medal. Blazejowski led the team in scoring with over 20 points per game. Lewis led the team in rebounding with over nine per game.

External links

• Greater Peoria Sports HOF profile