Carol Blazejowski
General Manager, New York Liberty
With the same tenacity, skill and passion that made her one of basketball's greatest players, Carol Blazejowski has guided the New York Liberty from an impossible dream into a stunning reality, resulting in record crowds and nationwide excitement.
The woman who revolutionized the game as a player has done the same as the guiding force behind one of the WNBA's showpiece franchises - a three-time Eastern Conference Champion with appearances in four of the seven WNBA Finals.
Blazejowski's on-the-court heroics earned her enshrinement into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1994, an honor she shares with only 13 other women. In 1999, she was inducted into the brand new Women's Basketball Hall of Fame with 26 other pioneers of the women's game.
During her playing career, Blazejowski earned Kodak All-American honors (1976, 1977, 1978) at Montclair State and was the first winner of the Margaret Wade Trophy as Women's College Player of the Year (1977-78). In 2002, Blaze celebrated the 25th Anniversary of her storied 52-point performance against Queens College on March 6, 1977, which still stands as the all-time collegiate scoring record - for both men and women -- at the Garden.
With seven WNBA seasons behind her, The Liberty General Manager and Senior Vice President, known as Blaze, has sheparded the growth of the "Liberty experience" - a unique combination of competitive basketball and a fun-filled in-arena atmosphere - while remaining focused on one goal: bringing the WNBA Championship to New York.
Assembling the team on the court, of course, is just one of Blaze's numerous responsibilities. From keeping a close eye on game presentation to overseeing the team's marketing and merchandising efforts, Blaze steered the Garden's efforts as host of two successful WNBA All-Star games, including the inaugural WNBA All-Star Game in 1999.
A WNBA original, Blaze was named the infant League's Director of Basketball Development before joining the Liberty as vice president and general manager on January 7, 1997. In the seven seasons under her watch, the Liberty has produced an overall mark of 128-92 (.609), with back-to-back Eastern Conference titles in 1999, 2000 and again in 2002. The team has produced a winning record in six of seven seasons.
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