Paulette Backstrom (1995) - Hall of Fame - Bowling Green State University Athletics

Paulette Backstrom

Induction:
1995
Class:
1990

Paulette Backstrom was an integral member of head coach Fran Voll's women's basketball teams in the late 80s which captured three consecutive (1986-87, 1987-88,1988-89) Mid American Conference regular season and tournament championships. And, by virtue of winning the league tournament, three consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament, also. She helped the Falcons compile a 96-23 (.807) overall record over the three championship seasons, a 53-7 (.883) mark in league play over the same period.

The point guard on those teams, Backstrom averaged 8.9 points and 7.2 assists her senior season, earning first team All-MAC honors in addition to being named the MAC Tournament MVP. Also in that senior campaign, Backstrom was the recipient of the Frances Pomeroy Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Award, given to the best female player in the nation under 5’6”.

A 1995 BGSU Hall of Fame inductee, Backstrom led the Falcons to their third consecutive MAC championship in addition to their third-straight NCAA Tournament appearance in 1989.

The Flint, Mich., native (Northwestern H.S.) set a school record for assists in a MAC season with 124, an average of 4.14 assists per game, and had a total of 559 in her career, ranking among the BGSU all-time leaders in that category.

Backstrom attended graduate school at Bowling Green earning her master's in organizational development / business administration.

Backstrom was inducted to the BGSU Athletic Hall of Fame in 1995.