Title IX at 50: Decades Later, Edwards' Legend Continues to Grow
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
January 25, 2022
Michigan has contributed mightily to the growth of girls basketball across the nation over the last 50 years. At its height during the first few seasons of this century, nearly 21,000 athletes played for MHSAA member schools. And those schools have produced their share of legends who have gone on to also succeed at the higher levels of the game.
Four decades after starting high school as a student, Tonya Edwards remains one of the most accomplished standouts to travel that path.
The 1986 Flint Northwestern graduate completed her varsity playing career in Fall 1985 (when girls basketball was still played during the fall) with the MHSAA record of 2,307 career points (22.2 ppg) that stood until 1994 and remains 10th on that record book list.
She averaged 26.4 points per game as a senior, and her 104 games played remain tied for 10th-most by a girls basketball player in this state. Edwards helped her team to 99 wins, which remains tied for fifth-most and stood as the MHSAA girls hoops record until 1997. She led Northwestern to Class A championships as a sophomore and junior and a runner-up finish as a senior.
And that was just first chapter.
Edwards went on to play at national powerhouse Tennessee, helping the Volunteers win NCAA championships in 1987 and 1989 under coach Pat Summit. Edwards came home after graduating in 1990, and that fall began a five-year run as Northwestern’s girls varsity coach. She led the 1993 team to the Class A championship and a 28-0 record – becoming the first person to win an MHSAA Finals girls basketball championship as both a player and coach.
Meanwhile, her playing talents were leading to international opportunities with USA Basketball and professional leagues overseas. She returned to play in the U.S. in 1996 and won two championships with the Columbus Quest of the former American Basketball League, then was the No. 7 pick in the 1999 WNBA Draft by the Minnesota Lynx, one of three WNBA franchises for which she played over five seasons.
Edwards went on to coach briefly in the National Women’s Basketball League, then as an assistant at the college level before serving as head coach of Alcorn State from 2008-09 through 2014-15. She then served as an assistant for the L.A. Sparks from 2016-18, helping that team to the WNBA championship her first season.
But on top of all of those achievements, a unique and incredibly cool twist was yet to come.
In March 2020, COVID-19 ended the MHSAA girls and boys basketball seasons before champions could be crowned. But as Michigan’s high school teams returned to the floor under various precautions the following winter, Edwards returned to Flint’s high school courts as the varsity coach at Flint Carman-Ainsworth.
What’s more, she’s also continuing to coach in the WNBA, which begins regular-season play in May. Three months after serving as an assistant and helping Candace Parker and the Chicago Sky to the WNBA title, Edwards has Carman-Ainsworth 6-3 and among the top teams in the Saginaw Valley League.
Second Half's weekly Title IX Celebration posts are sponsored by Michigan Army National Guard.
Previous Title IX at 50 Spotlights
Jan. 18: Iron Mountain Completes Championship Climb - Read
Jan. 11: Harrold's Achievement Heralds Growth of Girls Wrestling - Read
Dec. 20: Competitive Cheer Gives Michigan Plenty to Cheer About - Read
Dec. 14: Evelyn's Game Had Plenty of Magic - Read
Dec. 7: Council Term Ends, But Leinaar Leaves Lasting Impact - Read
Nov. 30: Basketball Season Ready to Add to Rich Tradition - Read
Nov. 23: Marysville Builds Winning Streak Yet to be Challenged - Read
Nov. 16: Wroubel Has Championed Girls School Sports from Their Start - Read
Nov. 9: Pioneer's Joyce Legendary in Michigan, National Swim History - Read
Nov. 2: Royal Oak's Finch Leading Way on Football Field - Read
Oct. 26: Coach Clegg Sets Championship Standard at Grand Blanc - Read
Oct. 19: Rockford Girls Set Pace, Hundreds After Have Continued to Chase - Read
Oct. 12: Bedford Volleyball Pioneer Continues Blazing Record-Setting Trail - Read
Oct. 5: Warner Paved Way to Legend Status with Record Rounds - Read
Sept. 28: Taylor Kennedy Gymnasts Earn Fame as 1st Champions - Read
Sept. 21: Portage Northern Star Byington Becomes Play-by-Play Pioneer - Read
Sept. 14: Guerra/Groat Legacy Continues to Serve St. Philip Well - Read
Sept. 7: Best-Ever Conversation Must Include Leland's Glass - Read
Aug. 31: We Will Celebrate Many Who Paved the Way - Read
(MHSAA file photo.)
Fowler Adds to Stunning Run in Earning Another Trip to Season's Final Day
By
Keith Dunlap
Special for MHSAA.com
March 20, 2025
EAST LANSING — Fowler has been no stranger to deep Division 4 tournament runs in recent years, but this season’s journey does have a bit of a different wrinkle.
Simply put, the Eagles have seemed to rout opponents more so than usual en route to another championship game appearance.
The latest result was a 57-32 win over Genesee Christian in a Semifinal on Thursday, which put the Eagles in Saturday’s 10 a.m. championship against Ewen-Trout Creek.
Fowler (26-2) will be going for its third Division 4 championship in five years, and after falling in Semifinals the last two. Given the way this tournament has gone for them, the Eagles may be hard to beat.
In its six tournament games, they have won by an average of 37.5 points, with the closest margin of victory 21 points (57-36) in a Regional Final win over previously-undefeated Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart.
“It’s pretty special,” Fowler head coach Nathan George said. “But given the kids I coach, I’m not surprised how focused they are each and every game. While I’m sometimes impressed by the point differential for some of our games, it’s because of the hard work they put in and their willingness to go above and beyond expectations."
The teams were tied 11-11 at the end of Thursday’s first quarter. Fowler then dominated the second, outscoring Genesee Christian 14-2 to take a 25-13 lead at halftime.
The lead only grew from there, with the Eagles going up by as many as 20 points during the third quarter and taking a 41-24 advantage into the fourth.
Fowler then ensured there wouldn’t be a comeback by growing its lead further.
The balanced scoring attack that Fowler has featured all year – with six players entering the game averaging at least seven points per contest – was on display again.
Senior Brooke Weber scored 14 points, senior Elizabeth Hufnagel scored 13, senior Katie Spicer had 12 points and seven rebounds, and junior Paige Thelen had 11 points and seven rebounds for Fowler.
The Eagles shot 48.8 percent from the field overall (20 of 41) and made 7 of 16 shots from 3-point range. Fowler also forced 15 Genesee Christian turnovers and had a 29-20 rebounding advantage.
“I think it took us a couple of possessions to just calm down and play our game,” Hufnagel said. “When we came out in the second quarter, we knew what we had to do to get a lead going into the half. We were able to settle down. We were able to drive and kick and get to the rim.”
While running into the Fowler buzzsaw, Genesee Christian rightfully basked in a historic season that saw the Soldiers make the Semifinals for the first time.
Senior Haven Chapman, who’ll graduate as the program’s all-time leading scorer, finished with a game-high 18 points. Reagan Gardner added 10.
“Amazing, amazing run for this group of girls,” Genesee Christian head coach Jake Boike said. “This has been a special group that we have had our eyes on for a long time. We knew the season was going to go well. We didn’t know how well. We had some hurdles to get over. I’m really proud of the effort they gave today.”
PHOTOS (Top) Fowler’s defense collapses to help as Genesee Christian’s Haven Chapman (2) drives during Thursday’s Semifinal at Breslin Center. (Middle) The Eagles’ Elizabeth Hufnagel (5) makes a move to get into the lane.