CLEVELAND, Miss. - What was once branded as the Big Green Fighting Machine, Margaret Wade's legacy started in a small town in the Delta when she led the Delta State University women's basketball program to three consecutive national titles in the mid- to late-1970s, a legacy still paramount.
 
Margaret Wade assembled one of the most dominant women's basketball programs to ever touch the court, putting the sport on the map. Wade's squad was compiled of athletes like Romona Van Boeckmon, Debbie Brock, Wanda Harriston, Cornelia Ward, and Lusia Harris who established the dynasty for women's basketball at Delta State.
 
Lusia Harris was part of the Fab Five that started the tradition at DSU under Wade. The three-time All-American and member of the National Basketball Hall of Fame joined Wade as one of the first women to be inducted into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame. Harris' name is etched throughout the DSU women's basketball history books as she holds the career mark for points (2,981), rebounds (1,662), and field goals made (1,267). Harris represented the United States at the international level by scoring the first points in the Olympic women's basketball history.
 
Debbie Brock stood 4-foot-11 but packed a mighty punch when she brought the ball down the court. The All-American was key in Delta State's success with her defensive play and ball handling. A Forest Hill native, Brock still cherishes the many memories she experienced playing under the legendary coach. "She was a person with integrity and confidence, in herself and in us. We went into places like the Superdome and Madison Square Garden. She made us believe that we could win no matter where we were or who we were playing." Brock explained that Wade was a great ambassador for the sport, Delta State, and Mississippi. "She taught us to live with integrity and set a good example. What most great coaches do is set a good example for the young people, and that is what she did."
 
In the 1977 AIAW semifinals, Brock recalled one memory in particular when Delta State played Tennessee for a chance to make it to the third straight championship game. "They were giving us the full court press, and I told Lucy that I couldn't get the ball down the court. She grabbed my jersey up in her fist and said, 'Debbie Brock, you get that ball and bring it down the court.'" The Lady Statesmen went on to win 62-58 in overtime. "I will remember that forever." Wade was considered a matriarch for the sport, especially by her team. "She didn't just care about basketball, but she genuinely cared about us. Basketball was great, but it's even better to be a part of a family: Cleveland, Delta State, the community, and I'm glad I was part of that."
 
A native of Hatley, Wanda Hairston played as a forward under Wade. "I remember our team playing so well together. We had a group of women that were dedicated to the betterment of the team." Hairston relished in talking about her years playing under Coach Wade. "It changed my life; sports taught me what life was going to be like. There is no doubt that my success is related to playing basketball."
 
Hairston went on to talk about the sort of person Wade was, "She genuinely cared about all of us, the team, and Delta State. She taught us to play for something greater than ourselves, for the school, the state of Mississippi, and women's basketball." Many life lessons were taken away from Wade on and off the court. Many of which were taught by example. "She taught us to always keep our composure, never let people see you sweat, and how to respond under pressure."
 
In the eyes of her players or those that worked with her, Wade set the bar for women's basketball for Delta State and the country. "From that moment on, every program at Delta State had to measure up to being the very best, something Margaret Wade laid the groundwork for," Hairston said.
 
The 5-foot-9 guard from Horn Lake, Ramona Von Boeckman says her time at Delta State means more to her now than it did then. "I didn't realize how rare it was at the time. It was like magic what she did to get that talent level to play together. She just made it work."
 
The atmosphere at Walter Sillers Coliseum when the Lady Statesmen hit the floor was electric, something the players, coaches, and spectators remember vividly. Von Boeckman continued, "From the moment we stepped onto the court, it was like the roof came off. It was amazing. I remember looking back at Wanda and saying, 'This is the reason we play this game.'"
 
Hairston remembers a time when Pat Summitt told her, "There is no doubt in my mind that Margaret Wade and Delta State changed women's sports." Von Boeckman added, "Coach Wade is an icon and a pioneer for the sport. She took on the job when the sport wasn't respected nationwide. She set the standard to make sure that future teams lived up to that standard."
 
That standard is still in place due in large part to Margret Wade and what she built in Walter Sillers Coliseum, in Cleveland, in Mississippi, in women's basketball.
 
The dedication of the Margaret Wade Statue will be held at Delta State on Friday, Nov. 14 at 2:00 p.m. The ceremony will take place on the West Plaza of Kent Wyatt Hall.