Teresa Edwards
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Teresa Edwards (b. July 19, 1964 at Cairo, Georgia) is an American basketball player.
University of Georgia
Edwards began her career at the University of Georgia where she was a two time All-American. She also led the Bulldogs to the Final Four on two occasions. She also played in her first Olympic Games as a collegian, in 1984.
International career
After Edwards graduated, she went abroad as there was not a professional basketball league for women in the United States. She played abroad for nine seasons splitting time between Italy, Japan, Spain, and France. During this time, she also continued to appear in international competition.
After the 1994 season, she stayed in the United States to train for her fourth Olympic appearance at the 1996 Summer Olympics. Edwards was selected to take the competitors' oath at the Opening Ceremonies in Atlanta.
American professional career
Two leagues began in the United States after the Olympics, the ABL and the WNBA. Edwards gave instant credibility to the Atlanta Glory of the ABL as their star player and head coach. Unfortunately, the league folded after just two and a half seasons.
Edwards did not turn to the WNBA however. She made a record fifth Olympic basketball team earning a fourth gold medal to go with her bronze medal. She returned to Europe in 2002. Finally, in 2003, she was drafted by the Minnesota Lynx even though she was 38 years old.
Now 40 years old, Edwards continues to play for the Lynx. She competed for the United States in international competition a total of nineteen times. Her teams won fourteen gold medals.
Of her records, she also holds the record for points in a women's basketball game in the United States with 46. Edwards also holds the unique distinction of being in the youngest gold medalist in women's basketball (age 20 in 1984) and the oldest gold medalist in women's basketball (age 36 in 2000)