TORONTO, Ont. (October 11, 2019) – Canada Basketball mourns the loss of Canadian Basketball Hall of Fame inductee Patricia Lawson, who passed away on October 10, 2019, at age 89.
Born in Saskatoon on Nov. 18, 1929, Lawson is widely considered one of Canada’s greatest all-around athletes, capturing provincial titles in six different sports – track and field, golf, speed skating, swimming, tennis and basketball.
While attending the University of Saskatchewan, Lawson was a member of 13 teams. However, it was basketball where the Saskatoon native really excelled. In her first season at the University of Saskatchewan, at just 18 years old, Lawson was named MVP after establishing several scoring records.
Lawson is also a two-time Canadian champion with the Vancouver Eilers (1955) and Adilman Aces (1959). She was also a member of the Team Canada for the 1959 Pan American Games in Chicago.
Following her playing career, Lawson returned to the University of Saskatchewan, where she coached the Huskiette basketball team from 1956 to 1964 and again in 1967-68.
This past summer, Lawson was recognized for her contributions to the game of basketball in our country as she was inducted in the Canadian Basketball Hall of Fame.
She is also a member of the University of Saskatchewan Wall of Fame and the Saskatoon Sports Hall of Fame for golf, basketball, and with the Adilman Aces basketball team.
She was inducted into the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame in 1985 as a multi-sport athlete to recognize her provincial championships in six different sports: swimming, track and field, tennis, basketball, speedskating and golf.
Lawson was also a founding member of the Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women in Sport which aspires to enhance the presence of girls and women at all levels and in all areas of sport – as athletes, participants, leaders, officials, coaches and trainers.