DETROIT -- The Detroit Titans were saddened to hear that they have lost one of their pioneers in women's athletics as former Titan women's basketball star Lisa Blackburn passed away over the weekend. Blackburn was a local basketball coach in the community for many years and was currently the head girls' basketball coach at Southeastern High School. 

“It is always sad to lose a former Titan student-athlete and our hearts go out to Lisa's family in this time of sorrow,” said Associate Vice President & Athletic Director Keri Gaither. “It is also an opportunity to reflect on the impact Lisa had during her lifetime.  She was a wonderful role model and representative of the Titan family for her accomplishments both on and off the basketball court.  She was a tenacious player for the University of Detroit women's basketball program with her name still in the top 10 in the record book in many categories. But more importantly, Lisa was an icon in the Detroit community, spending many years coaching and mentoring young women and having a positive influence on so many lives. Lisa will be missed dearly.”

“She was a legend in Detroit as a player in high school and at the University,” said Senee Shearer, a sophomore on the UDM women's basketball team who played for Blackburn as a junior at Pershing HS. “She was a great influence on not just me, but all of her players and she always had our best interests at heart.”

Shearer was among the crowd of players, teammates, family and friends that gathered in front of her house for a candlelight vigil on Monday night.

A four-year letterwinner on the hardwood, Blackburn came to the University of Detroit in 1978 just one year after the Titan women's basketball team made its debut. During her four years, U-D posted four 20-win seasons, including a school record 27-4 mark during her freshman campaign of 1978-79. The Titans compiled a 95-26 record with wins over nationally ranked programs in No. 3 Kansas (52-46 on Feb. 14, 1981) and No. 9 North Carolina State (60-59 on Dec. 5, 1981). U-D also regularly beat big programs in Michigan (6-1), Michigan State (4-1), DePaul (4-1), Ohio State (3-1), Indiana (4-0) and Wisconsin (2-0).

She was part of three-straight teams that won the state title from 1979-81, and finished runner-up in the regionals in 1979 and 1980. The 1980 Titan squad also became the first to be invited to a national tournament as they earned a bid to the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women's (AIAW) National Tournament.  The Titans were also nationally ranked during the 1978-79 and 1979-80 seasons.

She played in 104 career games with 99 starts and averaged 13.8 points per game, and is still fifth all-time in school history with 1,440 points. She also ranks third in the Titan record book in rebounds (846), seventh in steals (215) and 10th in assists (294). 

“Lisa was very competitive and just had an awesome spirit,” said former teammate and Titan All-American Cheryl Williams-Miller. “She had a great sense of humor and was always fun to be around. We had a lot of fun in school and she was a great player and then did a lot for the city as a coach. She is going to be missed.”

She made an immediate impact right from the start averaging 18.9 points and 8.6 rebounds per game as a freshman in 15 games before a knee injury forced her to miss the rest of the year. She then came back to lead the team in scoring at 16.0 ppg., in 1980 – while grabbing 8.1 rebounds – and topped the team on the boards with 9.8 in 1981 to go with 15.1 ppg.

Her career highs were 31 points against Bowling Green in 1981, 18 boards versus Providence in 1980 and 12 assists against No. 3 Kansas in 1981. In that performance against the Jayhawks, she helped the Titans to their first-ever win over a ranked opponent as she tallied a triple double with 12 points, a team-high 16 rebounds and game-best 12 helpers.

“I was extremely saddened to hear about the loss of Lisa and she will be deeply missed,” said former Titan head coach Mary Roickle. “She was an incredibly spunky and tough, yet a soft sensitive human being. She was just a terrific person who really gave back by becoming a social worker and basketball coach. She was a team player and a big reason why we beat Kansas and not only because of her offensive game, but her defense against some of their best players including three-time All-American Lynette Woodard.”

She was named All-State as a junior after earning honorable mention All-State status in her first two years. She was also selected to the Region V All-Tournament squad as a junior and was nominated for the United Foundation's “Sportswomen of the Year” in the fall of 1980.

She went on to earn her degree in communications from the University of Detroit in 1982.

A Detroiter all her life, she prepped at Pershing High School and was tabbed to the Parade Magazine's All-America Team as a senior. During her senior season, she netted 58 points against Osborn HS to set a Detroit Public School League record.

Viewing hours are set for this Friday, May 18, from 4-8 p.m., at the Haley Funeral Home in Southfield (located at 24525 Northwestern HWY). Her final service will be on Saturday at 11 a.m., (family hour is from 10-11) at Conant Avenue United Methodist Church in Detroit (located at 18600 Conant).