Northwestern Oklahoma State University

Alice Byrd is perhaps the greatest female athlete ever to wear a Northwestern uniform. She came to Alva in 1987 from Fort Pierce, Fla., and made an immediate impact on the women’s basketball program.
 
Her freshman year, she averaged 14 points and six rebounds per game and helped lead the Lady Rangers to a 22-5 record and their first Oklahoma Intercollegiate Conference championship. Her numbers steadily improved and she earned numerous OCI and NAIA District 9 postseason honors. Byrd’s junior season was one of the finest in school history as she averaged 24.4 points and 10.4 rebounds per game. She was set to make a run at All-American honors in her senior year before a preseason knee injury sidelined her for the entire season.
 
Byrd came back for her final season in 1991 and led the Lady Rangers to a 24-7 mark and their first NAIA National Tournament appearance. She averaged 20.3 points and 9.7 rebounds per game and was named the OIC and District 9 Player of the Year. Her career was capped when she became the first Lady Ranger to earn first-team NAIA All-American honors.
 
Byrd finished her career as Northwestern’s all-time leading scorer with 2,131 points and as the leading rebounder with 992 boards. She still owns 14 school records.