Alumnae Spotlight: Janice Long

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Syracuse University women's basketball program has achieved great success since its inception in 1971. Over the next two weeks, Cuse.com will spotlight a select alumna from the Syracuse women's basketball program daily.

In the first Cuse.com Alumnae Spotlight, we look at Janice Long.

Long was a member of the Syracuse women's basketball team from 1983-87. In that time, she helped the program reach great heights, as the Orange earned its first trip to the NCAA Tournament in 1985. In addition, Syracuse won its only conference tournament championship in 1985 with Long leading the way.

The Cambria Heights, N.Y. native was an immediate contributor as soon as she arrived on campus in 1983. As a freshman, she averaged 7.8 points, 3.0 assists, and 3.5 rebounds per contest. For her efforts on the court, Long was named to the BIG EAST All-Freshman Team.

Long followed up her freshman campaign with a terrific sophomore season. She improved her scoring from her first season, averaging 8.9 points per game. The guard came alive in the 1985 BIG EAST Championship title game, scoring 21 points to lead the Orange to 57-56 victory against Villanova. For her performance, she earned BIG EAST Tournament Most Valuable Player accolades.

Her junior season, Long continued to improve, averaging 11.4 points and 3.5 assists per game. She was named to the All-BIG EAST Second Team, her third honor of her career from the conference. That season she also recorded 94 steals, which still ranks second in Syracuse single-season history.

Long closed out her career at Syracuse as one of the best in program history. When she finished her career in 1987, she ranked fifth in program history in career assists and sixth in career scoring. Long still ranks among the best to this day. She is one 24 players to score 1,000 career points and holds the program record with 316 career steals.

Check back daily for more stories on the alumnae of the Syracuse women's basketball program.

The 2015-16 Syracuse University women's basketball team will embark on an international tour in early August. Syracuse will travel across the Atlantic Ocean to play teams from Austria, Czech Republic, and Slovakia. If one would like to support the program on its international tour, please click here.

Syracuse University Athletics

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