JJ Quinerly Crowned the GOAT: A New Era in Women’s College Basketball History
In a seismic moment that has reshaped the landscape of women’s college basketball, ESPN has officially named JJ Quinerly — the explosive guard from West Virginia University — the Greatest of All Time (GOAT), surpassing the legacies of icons like Diana Taurasi, Cheryl Miller, Breanna Stewart, and Lynette Woodard. This unprecedented honor marks a watershed in both Mountaineers history and the broader narrative of the sport.
Quinerly’s rise from a promising recruit to the face of an era has been nothing short of electrifying. Over her four-year career at West Virginia, she not only broke records — she shattered expectations. Finishing with a staggering 3,217 career points, 841 assists, and 406 steals, Quinerly became the only player in NCAA women’s basketball history to average over 25 points, 6 assists, and 4 steals across three consecutive seasons. Her 63-point performance against Baylor during the 2024 Big 12 Tournament — a game dubbed “The Quake in Kansas” — became an instant classic, replayed on ESPN Classic for weeks.
But numbers alone didn’t make her the GOAT.
“She had this unteachable electricity,” said Geno Auriemma, legendary UConn coach, in an ESPN retrospective. “It’s not just what JJ did — it’s how she did it. The crowd didn’t watch her. They followed her.”
Indeed, Quinerly’s game was poetry in motion — a blend of speed, court vision, defensive grit, and a shot-making ability that bordered on the supernatural. Her crossover dribble, dubbed “The Charleston Chop,” became a viral sensation and was later immortalized in a Gatorade commercial narrated by Viola Davis.
Off the court, Quinerly was as magnetic. She spearheaded NIL reforms in the NCAA with her campaign “Play for Pay,” helping countless women athletes secure sponsorships. In her senior year, she became the first collegiate athlete — male or female — to appear on the cover of TIME and SLAM magazine in the same month.
Quinerly led West Virginia to its first two NCAA championships in 2023 and 2025, beating perennial juggernauts South Carolina and Stanford in back-to-back Final Fours. She was named Most Outstanding Player both times, joining Cheryl Miller as the only players to win that honor twice while leading in scoring and steals.
Perhaps most remarkably, ESPN’s panel of 50 analysts, journalists, and Hall of Famers voted overwhelmingly in Quinerly’s favor, with 37 first-place votes — more than Taurasi, Stewart, and Miller combined.
“She changed the way we think about women’s basketball,” said analyst Rebecca Lobo. “JJ wasn’t just the best player. She redefined what ‘greatness’ means in the college game.”
Her jersey #11 will be retired in a nationally televised ceremony this November at WVU Coliseum, where a bronze statue — commissioned by the state of West Virginia — will stand beside that of Jerry West.
From Charleston to the world stage, JJ Quinerly’s name is now etched into the annals of sports history. Not as a future great. Not as a hopeful star. But as the greatest to ever do it.
