Basketball by Decade

Archives preserving the legacy of Sistersville High School athletics and alumni.

Sistersville High School basketball built a tradition of success across generations. These archives preserve season records from 1912 through 1993.

BASKETBALL ARCHIVES

Explore Sistersville High School basketball records organized by decade.

Womens Basketball

Martha Evans

Martha Evans stands as one of the most groundbreaking athletes in Sistersville High School history. A 1952 graduate, she became the first professional women’s basketball player from West Virginia at a time when girls varsity sports did not even exist at SHS. Known as a natural scorer who could shoot from anywhere on the floor, Evans began playing independent basketball as a teenager and quickly made a name for herself. After a tryout arranged by SHS coach George Strager, she joined the Hazel Walker Arkansas Travelers in 1952 at just 17 years old.

During her professional career, the Travelers played nine months out of the year, competing against men’s teams across 42 states, Canada, and Mexico while winning 85 percent of their games during her time with the team. She earned $425 per month — significant pay in the early 1950s — and became a true pioneer for women in sports.

After her playing career, Evans dedicated 35 years to working with children with special needs and was later inducted into both the West Virginia Sportswriters Hall of Fame and the WVSPN Hall of Fame.Her legacy extends far beyond statistics. Martha Evans helped pave the way for generations of female athletes in West Virginia.