40 in 40 - Pat Charity

Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of Title IX, wmubroncos.com takes a look at 40 key moments/females in the history of women's athletics at Western Michigan University. Though the selection process, an effort was made to highlight a moment and player/coach from each of our current women's sports programs, as well pay respect to our women's legacy sports. A different feature will be released each of the 40 days, July 24 through Sept. 1.

Pat Charity

Women's Basketball: 1976-81
Women's Basketball Head Coach: 1990-97
WMU Athletic Hall of Fame: 1993

One of the most dominate female athletes to come through Western Michigan, Charity is the only Bronco women's basketball player to amass over 1,000 points (1,542) and 1,000 rebounds (1,028) in a career. She still holds the school record for career rebounds, as well as the single season mark, hauling in 296 rebounds in just 26 games in 1978. She currently ranks fifth all-time in career scoring.

Originally from Kentwood, Mich., Charity was a two-time Honorable Mention All-America selection in 1978 and 1980 and was one of 15 candidates for the Wade Trophy, honoring the nation's top collegiate player, in 1977.

Charity was also a member of the U.S. silver medal-winning team at the 1977 World Games and played in the initial Women's All-American Classic in Philadelphia that same year.

After beginning her collegiate coaching career as an assistant coach at WMU from 1982-87, Charity went on to become the Bronco head coach for seven seasons from 1990-97. Western Michigan's best season under Charity was in 1994-95, when the team posted a 17-11 record, going 13-5 in Mid-American Conference play. She remains coaching today, most recently serving as an assistant at the University at Buffalo.

Charity graduated with a bachelor's degree in education with a minor in recreation and coaching from Western Michigan in 1981 and received a master's degree in administration from WMU in 1990. She was inducted into the WMU Athletic Hall of Fame in 1993.