It is well known that basketball was invented in 1891 by Dr. James Nesmith, but what is not so well known is the history of women’s basketball. The inaugural womens college basketball session was actually part of a physical education class at Smith College for girls in Conneticut.
The very first womens college basketball game took place at Smith College for girls in 1893 where the freshman played against the sophomores. Unlike womens college basketball games today, the game actually took place behind locked doors and men were prohibited from watching.
The rules of this first womens college basketball game were altered from those of the original mens version to enhance teamwork. The court had 3 zones and three players from each team of nine were allowed in each zone but could not move out of their zone. Funnily enough, these early restrictions in the womens college basketball game are strikingly similar to the game of netball that is played by schoolgirls and women all over Europe.
Womens college basketball began to spread quickly and the first game between two different womens college basketball teams was played in April 1896 with Stanford beating...