DETROIT (6/22/2018) -- Titan Hall of Famer Coretta "CoCo" Daniels probably didn't realize it at the time, but when she played for the first Titan women's basketball teams and in the first women's basketball professional league, she was helping pave the way for so many other women's basketball players in the years and decades to come.

Daniels and former Titan standout teammate Lydia Johnson were honored recently as "Trailblazers of the Game" at the 2018 Women's Basketball Hall of Fame ceremony, held this year in Knoxville, Tenn. on June 9. Daniels was there to be honored in the 20th year anniversary of the Women's Basketball HOF.

Both players were part of and competed in the Women's Professional Basketball League (WBL), which was the first pro women's basketball outfit in the United States, existing from 1978 to 1981. Daniels, who traveled to the ceremony in Tennessee, said she was honored to be included.

"I haven't grasped it yet," Daniels said. "Again, I go back to the wins, being on the first (Titan) basketball team, you never know where it's going to lead you. We were just trying to reach new heights and I never thought that I'd have the opportunity that I had to play basketball. All I wanted to do was play and to win."

Daniels, who was the first female to be inducted into the Titan Hall of Fame in 1989, was part of the WBL in the second and third seasons, playing for the St. Louis Streak and Minnesota Phillies.

"I was fortunate to keep playing basketball," Daniels said. "I see it now as being a pioneer. It has been a blessing. I never foresaw it myself (as being a pioneer). My main thing was just to keep playing basketball."

Daniels, who came to the University of Detroit from Shaw College, was part of the first two Titan teams and totaled 750 points, 229 rebounds, 168 steals and 158 assists in just two season, starting all 52 contests in which she played as a point guard. She led the Titans in scoring during their inaugural season at 14.5 points per game and her 3.7 steals per game in 1977-78, which ranks fourth all-time in Titan women's basketball history.

Lydia Johnson played two seasons with the Titans, including with Daniels during the second year of Titan women's basketball in 1978-79. She played in 61 games, starting 43 across those two years, recording 776 points and 648 rebounds, averaging a double-double of 12.7 points and 10.6 rebounds in her two years with the Titans. Her 364 caroms and 11.7 rebounds per game in 1979-80 both rank third all-time in Titan history.

Both players were integral parts of the Titan teams that went 70-15 under Hall of Fame head coach Sue (Kruszewski) Hardy in the first three seasons.

Daniels said she was proud to be at the ceremony to represent the University of Detroit Mercy, standing next to other women's basketball greats who played in the WBL. Among the other 2018 inductees were former WNBA players Chamique Holdsclaw, Tina Thompson and Katie Smith. Ceal Berry, Mickie DeMoss, Chris Dailey and Dr. Rose Marie Battaglia were also inducted in 2018.

"I'm just in awe," Daniels said. "You have Chamique Holdsclaw, Tina Thompson, all of these WNBA greats there and I never thought that I would pave the way for them. We planted the seed and paved the way. This was a global affair, bigger than Detroit and the United States and here I am.

"I just wanted to play basketball and wanted to win."