Crimson Tide All-Americans #ASSANDRA ,INDA #RUMPTON "URGESS s s s s 4HIRD4EAM 4HIRD4EAM !LL !MERICAN !LL !MERICAN 4WO 4IME &IRST4EAM !LL 3%# !LL 3%# s/RRVILLE !LAs s'REENVILLE 4EXASs Cassandra Crumpton, a product of Alabama, was a key mem- Linda Burgess was one of the first stars to play for head coach ber of the Tide’s first NCAA Tournament team and was the first of Rick Moody in the early 1990’s. Behind her, and fellow All- a long line of talented guards to compete at the Capstone. American Niesa Johnson, Alabama established itself as a national The Orrville native came to Tuscaloosa in 1982 after a junior power. college career at Clarendon (Texas) Junior College, where she Burgess, a native of Madison, Ala., came to the Capstone was an NJCAA All-American in 1982 after ranking second in the after a two-year stint at Calhoun Community College in Decatur nation in scoring. She immediately made an impact on the Tide to become a force in the post for Moody’s high-scoring Alabama program. teams. Teaming with fellow All-SEC performers Carol Smith and Terri In 1991-92, Burgess helped lead a surprising Tide unit to a Hillard, Crumpton helped lead Alabama to 39 wins in her career 23-7 record and just the third NCAA Tournament bid in school his- and its first-ever NCAA Tournament bid in 1983-84. During that tory. She led Alabama in scoring in each of the two seasons she record-setting season, Crumpton helped the Tide earn wins over played in Tuscaloosa. In her senior season of 1991-92, Burgess six ranked opponents, including a victory over No. 10 Tennessee poured in 20.3 points per game, becoming one of only five players in the SEC Tournament. in school history to average more than 20 points per contest for Crumpton led the team in scoring in each of her seasons in a an entire season. Her 37-point outburst against Loyola-Chicago Tide uniform, averaging 19.1 points and 7.3 rebounds as a junior on Dec. 2, 1991 is the second-highest single game scoring per- in 1982-83. Following that season, she was named third team All- formance in the Tide record book. American, the first player in school history to earn All-American Burgess finished her career with an 18.1 per game scoring honors of any kind. She shot 85.7 percent from the free throw line average, tying for third on the Bama career charts. She scored as a junior to lead the SEC in free-throw shooting percentage. The 1,069 points as a member of the Tide, becoming one of only 20 total is still fifth-best in school history. Alabama players to eclipse the 1,000-point barrier for a career. As a senior, she scored 17.4 points and was named the 1984 In addition to her scoring abilities, Burgess was also a fierce SEC Tournament MVP after leading the Tide to runner-up honors rebounder. She led the Tide on the boards in her two seasons, at the event. She was named All-SEC both years and was invited averaging 8.1 rebounds per game over her career, the fifth- to participate in the 1984 Olympic Trials. highest rebounding average in school history. Following her collegiate career, Crumpton played four years in Following her senior season, Burgess was named third team Spain, two in Italy and one season in Turkey. She began her pro All-American by the Women’s Basketball News Service, becoming career with Caixa Girona in Getafe, Spain and was the leading the second Tide player to earn All-American honors of any kind. scorer in the 1993 Spanish League All-Star game. She joined A two time All-SEC performer, Burgess was also a two-time SEC the New York Liberty of the WNBA in 1997 after signing as a free Player of the Week honoree. agent. Burgess played professionally overseas before making her way Crumpton also competed in the Women’s Basketball League back to the United States to compete in the WNBA. She spent time in the mid 80’s, playing on the WBL Champion Dallas Diamonds with the Sacramento Monarchs and the Los Angeles Sparks in her following her college career. WNBA career. She served as an assistant coach at the University of Houston and at her alma mater, serving on Rick Moody’s staff from 1997- 2004. 108 Crimson Tide All-Americans Niesa $OMINIQUE *OHNSON #ANTY s s s s 4WO4IME 4WO 4IME !LL !MERICAN !LL !MERICAN 4WO 4IME 4HREE 4IME !LL 3%# !LL 3%# s#LINTON -ISSs s#HICAGO )LLs Niesa Johnson, a dynamic athletic guard from Clinton, Miss., Dominique Canty, a 5-10 product of Chicago, was, statistically was one of the driving forces behind the emergence of the Tide speaking, perhaps the greatest player to ever wear an Alabama women’s basketball program as a national power under head uniform. The versatile guard did it all for the Tide, putting up some coach Rick Moody. the of the most gaudy numbers in program history during her The lightning-quick Johnson spearheaded an Alabama full- highly successful career in Tuscaloosa. court attack that generated amazing offensive numbers. In her Canty was the sparkplug for some of the most successful sea- freshman season, the Johnson-led Tide averaged 87.9 points per sons in school history. She led the Tide to an NCAA bid in each game, a record that still stands in the Alabama annals. The 1991- of her four seasons, including three trips to the Sweet Sixteen. 92 season, Johnson’s first in an Alabama uniform, was a surprise Alabama finished second in the SEC in her sophomore season to all. Behind the freshman Johnson, who averaged 16.3 points and tied for runner-up honors the next year, marking the highest per game, the Tide stormed to a 23-7 mark and an NCAA Regional finishes in the league in school history. appearance. Johnson earned the National Freshman of the Year The numbers Canty was able to produce over her career are award for her performance during the season, the only Tide player simply astounding. She scored 2,294 points over four seasons, to have earned the honor. the highest career total for any basketball player, male or female, During Johnson’s career at the Capstone, the Tide went a in school history. She averaged 21.5 points as a junior in 1997- combined 93-32 (.744), went to four straight NCAA Tournaments 98, the second-highest single season scoring average in school and advanced to the school’s first and only Final Four in 1993-94. history. Her 18.1 points per game career average ties for third in She averaged 21.1 points per game as a senior in 1994-95, the women’s basketball history at Alabama. third-highest single season scoring average in Alabama history. Canty was also a force on the boards for the Tide. She grabbed Johnson finished her career as just the second Tide player to 909 during her career, ranking third on the career list behind score 2,000 points, ending with 2,134 points, the highest career centers Yolanda Watkins and Carol Smith. She led the team in total for any Alabama women’s player at the time. She remains as rebounding in her junior year and averaged 7.2 rebounds per the school’s all-time assists leader with 800 in her career and her game over her career, tying for the fifth-best career average in 7.3 assists per game average as a sophomore is the best total in program history. Alabama history. She is the only player in school history to rank in the top five in The 5-9 guard is also number one on the all-time steals chart the career charts for points, rebounds, steals and assists. with 350 in her career. Her 95 steals as a sophomore and 93 Ironically, Canty scored most of her points from closer to the as a junior rank one and two in the all-time single season steal basket. She made a living at the foul line, having attempted (875) records. and made (628) more free throws than any player in school his- After the Tide’s Final Four run in 1994, Johnson became the tory. first Alabama women’s player to earn first team All-American A two-time All-American and, Canty was a Naismith Award honors, an achievement she repeated the following season. A Finalist in her junior and senior seasons and earned All-SEC hon- three-time first team All-SEC selection, Johnson was a finalist for ors three times, becoming the only Tide player to earn the honor the Naismith Award in 1994 and 1995. in three seasons. Following her career at Alabama, Johnson went on the repre- Following her graduation from the Capstone, Canty went on to a sent the United States in international competition. She was invited decorated professional career that is still active. She was drafted to the 1996 Olympic team tryouts, the 1998 World Championship by the Detroit Shock of the WNBA in 1999, and was the runner-up auditions, was a two-time USA Basketball Women’s National for Rookie of the Year honors before being traded to the Houston Junior team member and was selected to three straight USA Comets in 2003. She has averaged 6.6 points and 2.9 rebounds Basketball Select tryouts. over her WNBA career. Johnson played in the American Basketball League (ABL) and the WNBA, including stints with the Charlotte Sting and the Seattle Reign of the ABL.