Louisville Fillies Tickets

The Louisville Fillies were a women’s professional basketball team based in Louisville, Kentucky. The team was established in 1978 and played in the Women's Professional Basketball League (WPBL) until the league folded in 1981.

The WPBL was one of the first professional women’s basketball leagues in the United States. It was founded in 1978 as an alternative to college basketball for female athletes who wanted to continue playing basketball at a high level after graduation. The league consisted of eight teams from different cities across the country, including the Louisville Fillies.

The Fillies had a talented roster of players, including Claudia Dodd, Donna Smith, and Carolyn Toole, who helped the team achieve a winning record in their first season. The team finished second in their division with a record of 21-19 and advanced to the playoffs, where they were defeated by the Nebraska Wranglers.

In the WPBL's second season, the Fillies had a less successful season. They finished fifth in their division with a record of 12-28 and did not make the playoffs. Despite this setback, the team continued to draw a supportive fan base in Louisville and even hosted the WPBL All-Star Game in the city in 1980.

The 1981 season proved to be the last for the WPBL and the Fillies. The league faced financial difficulties and finally folded midway through the season. The Fillies finished their final season with a record of 10-15.

Despite their relatively short-lived existence, the Louisville Fillies paved the way for future generations of female basketball players. The team demonstrated that women's basketball could be entertaining and competitive, and showed that there was a viable market for professional women's sports.

Following the demise of the WPBL, many former Fillies players went on to have successful careers in other women’s professional leagues, such as the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). Claudia Dodd, for example, played for the New York Liberty and the Phoenix Mercury in the early 2000s, while Carolyn Toole coached basketball at various levels and worked as a scout for the WNBA.

In conclusion, the Louisville Fillies were an important part of women's basketball history. Their success and popularity helped pave the way for future generations of female basketball players, and their legacy continues to live on today.