Anne Donovan, a Hall of Fame basketball player and Olympic gold medalist, died of heart failure at age 56, the Seattle Storm confirmed Wednesday. Donovan coached the Storm to a 2004 WNBA title.
“While it is extremely difficult to express how devastating it is to lose Anne, our family remains so very grateful to have been blessed with such a wonderful human being,” Donovan’s family said in a statement, according to reports. “Anne touched many lives as a daughter, sister, aunt, friend and coach.
Donovan, a 6-foot-8 center, made the 1980 U.S. Olympic team (as its youngest player after her freshman year at Old Dominion) that ended up missing the Moscow Games due to the U.