The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1318516
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 ■ 37 F BY JUSTIN H. WILLIAMS orty years after graduating from NC State in 1980, former women's basketball star Genia Beasley still holds the school's career scoring record with 2,367 points. She also holds the all- time record in rebounds (1,245), blocked shots (185) and double- doubles (60). Beasley was a member of legendary head coach Kay Yow's second recruiting class at NC State in 1976. The Wolfpack had a combined record of 105-23 during her four- year career and won two ACC regular-season titles despite the fact that women's basketball wasn't recognized by the conference until her sophomore campaign. Beasley considers herself a natural com- petitor, but Yow was the one that helped her channel it into a formula for success. Years after racking up points on the hard- wood, Beasley now helps people overcome double vision, something she suffered from personally into adulthood. Now Dr. Beasley owns her own vision therapy practice in Charlotte, N.C., and specializes in pediatric vision care, devel- opmental optometry and sports vision en- hancement. "I try to inspire everybody to do their best," Beasley said. "Don't let some little thing hold you back — conquer it and move on. There are no pity parties and no 'I can't do' attitude with me. Coach Yow spent a lot of time, every practice, going over that mentality with us. "'Your attitude is your altitude,' she used to say. I empower kids to not let whatever their bondage in life is to hold them back, to be able to conquer things and learn that everything doesn't come easy. With persis- tence and dedication, you can do whatever you want to do." A 'Little Country Girl From Benson' A middle child of five, Beasley first learned the game of basketball by playing with her older siblings in the driveway. "My sister is six years older than me, and my older brother is four years older. I got pounded on by older people," Beasley said. "That's just what we did. We lived out in the country and that was one of our things to do for fun." The native of Benson, N.C., was 5-11 by the time she reached the fifth grade and was always the tallest in her class, including teachers, until high school. "I was pretty coordinated for a big per- son," Beasley said. "Because of my height and my agility, I was always put up into the next age level. "If there was a 14- to 15-year-old group, I was always in the 17- to 18-year-old group competing. That's where I learned how to shoot. I practiced every day, and I got pretty darn good at it." She attended South Johnston High School, which was a 3A program at the time and competed with schools in Raleigh such as Broughton and Enloe. Beasley attracted the attention of all the local college programs by consistently lead- ing her team to the state playoffs during her high school career, including a state cham- pionship title during her sophomore season. Despite missing her senior campaign due to a knee injury that required cartilage re- pair, Beasley had her choice of colleges in North Carolina. "I picked NC State because of Coach Yow," Beasley said. "I was 14 when I first met Coach Yow — she was still at Elon. I knew I wanted to play for her when she figured out how to get the Chinese National Team to Elon to play a game. Who does that?" Beasley quickly blossomed into one of the nation's top women's basketball players in the late 1970s and early 1980s. A lengthy, athletic forward with a pure shooting stroke that would make any player jealous, she cred- its Yow for pushing her to become her best. The two-time All-American and four- time All-NCAIAW (North Carolina As- sociation for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women) honoree also competed for Team USA Basketball during the summers of her college career. "I got to hone my skills with the best players in the country," Beasley said. "They invited the top 12 college students to go GENIA BEASLEY Women's Basketball (1977-80) Age: 62 Living: Charlotte, N.C. Occupation: Clinical Director, All Ages Vi - sion Care Did You Know? Beasley was inducted into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame in 2007. A two-time All-American for head coach Kay Yow, Beasley still owns the Wolfpack's career records in points, rebounds, blocked shots and double-doubles 40 years after graduating. PHOTO COURTESY NC STATE ATHLETICS A NEW PASSION After Excelling In Basketball, Former Wolfpack Standout Genia Beasley Maintains Her Competitive Spirit In Optometry