Even before the inaugural season of official Big Ten Women's Basketball competition, the Ohio State Buckeyes made a lasting impression on the league's history.  With victories against Indiana, Michigan and Purdue, they were triumphant in 1982 before sparking a conference championship win-streak to claim the first five titles from 1983-87.  The Buckeyes amassed a conference record of 86-7 during the era.

Led by head coach Tara Van Derveer, the Buckeyes tallied a 15-3 conference record to claim the first officially recognized Big Ten championship in 1982.  The squad also defended the floor of St. John Arena with a perfect 14-0 home record.  A 17-1 mark in 1984 earned a third-straight title and Van Derveer was touted as the Big Ten Coach of the Year.   She spent her last season at Ohio State leading the program to an undefeated 18-0 record in Big Ten play.  The squad finished the season on a 20-game win streak before falling to eventual national champion Old Dominion in the 1985 NCAA East Regional.  Earning her second Big Ten Coach of the Year honor, Van Derveer closed her career with a 53-4 league record after four seasons - a .929 winning percentage that still stands as the winningest mark in conference history.  Her overall record of 110-37 also ranks sixth among league coaches in wins.

In the 1985-86 season, Nancy Darsch made her debut at the helm of the OSU program and the Buckeyes didn't miss a step in the transition, claiming another league crown with a 16-2 Big Ten record.  The squad also advanced to the NCAA Mideast Regional semifinals.  Big Ten Player of the Year and Ohio State's first Kodak All-American, Tracey Hall, led the Buckeyes to their sixth-consecutive title in 1987 with a 17-1 conference record and an impressive 12-1 mark on the road before ending the season in the Elite Eight of the NCAA tournament.

The Big Ten's first two-time All-American (1987-88), Hall's impact on the conference was also immediate.  The talented forward captured Big Ten Freshman of the Year and All-Conference second-team honors in 1985 before claiming the league's top honor of Player of the Year in 1986 and 1987.  A starter in every game of her collegiate career, Hall scored double figures in 101 games.  With her talent and leadership, the Buckeyes compiled three-straight Big Ten titles (1985-87) and a four-year conference record of 67-5.  Ohio State's overall record during the Hall era was 102-20 (.836), which included four trips to the NCAA Tournament.

Big Ten 25 Years of Women's Championships

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