Betty, Pat, and Big Numbers

In this episode, I shine a spotlight on Belmont University legend Betty Wiseman—aka “Belmont Betty”—and the extraordinary legacy she built for women’s basketball in the Southeast. I’ll also take you back to the 2002 Final Four in San Antonio, where a surprise encounter with Pat Summitt left me speechless. 

Plus: this year’s NCAA title game delivered huge viewership, proving that women’s hoops is here to stay. As always, we close with our weekly awards: a Flagrant Foul for a coach who crossed the line, and an Airball for a Hall of Fame that’s missing a key member.

“Big stories, little episodes—amplifying the voices shaping the game on and off the court." - Her Game Her Voice Podcast by Kaari Peterson

Transcript

Speaker 00: 0:01

Hi, Hoop Heads, and welcome to another episode of Her Game Her Voice, the podcast that delivers big stories and short episodes, amplifying the voices that shape the g ame.

Speaker 00: 0:10

If you're like me, you might be feeling a little lost now that March Madness is over, but fear not. I have an uplifting and inspirational women's basketball story for you today that will turn your frown upside down.

Speaker 00: 0:29

Today, you'll hear the story of Belmont University's legendary Belmont Betty, followed by a personal Final Four tale, and of course, the Her Game Her Voice awards section.

Speaker 00: 0:42

The story of Belmont University's basketball matriarch begins about three and a half years ago when my daughter was deciding where to go to college. She narrowed it down to three schools. My wife, otherwise known as the thoughtful one, sat down and reviewed what each school had to offer.

Speaker 00: 0:59

I, on the other hand, had just one requirement. It had to be a D1 school with a decent basketball team. Yep, that was my entire criteria. I didn't even care whether it was the men's or women's team. Just give me someone to cheer for in March.

Speaker 00: 1:16

In the end, Ms. Muffet chose Belmont University in Nashville. And I was elated. Yes!

Speaker 00: 1:22

Belmont is a D1 school with both men's and women's programs that regularly make tournament appearances. Their women's team, in particular, has a strong program and an even stronger legacy. In fact, during orientation, Belmont actually tells incoming students about their rich women's basketball history. That's how you know that Belmont is a school that has its priorities straight.

Kaari: 1:45

Uh-huh. At the center of that legacy is a woman named Betty Wiseman. Better known on campus as B-Dub or Belmont Betty. And in this episode, I want you to get to know her.

Kaari: 1:56

Some of you hoop heads may remember when Belmont's women's team, a 12 seed, nearly upset the four-seeded Tennessee Lady Vols in the 2022 NCAA tournament. They lost in the final seconds by just three points, but it was an absolute thriller of a game.

Kaari: 2:13

Belmont's president chartered buses to the game and gave students excused absences if they skipped class to attend. And back on campus, they wheeled out a giant screen onto the campus lawn so students could watch the game together.

Kaari: 2:27

I love that my daughter goes to a school that shows up for their women's team. That kind of support matters to students and parents alike.

Kaari: 2:36

Let me tell you a little more about Belmont Betty. She arrived at Belmont University in 1961 with a dream of becoming a teacher. But there was one thing missing, women's basketball. Betty had played most of her life and missed the game dearly. So she helped organize women's intramural basketball teams at Belmont, just so she could keep playing. Betty graduated in 1965 and was hired as a physical education teacher.

Kaari: 3:04

But by 1968, she was ready to do more. That year, she pitched the idea of starting a women's basketball team to Belmont's president, Dr. Gabbard. He didn't have much money to give, but he listened, and that was enough.

Kaari: 3:18

Betty got to work. She reused old men's warm-ups as uniforms, hand-altered by players' moms. She drove the team bus, she washed the uniforms, and she built one of the first sanctioned women's college teams in the Southeast.

Kaari: 3:35

Over 16 seasons, Coach B-Dub racked up nearly 250 wins and scheduled fierce competition, including UCLA, China's national team, and Pat Summitt's Lady Vols.

Kaari: 3:47

In 1984, she stepped away from coaching to focus on teaching, which was her first love. After more than 40 years as an educator, Betty retired in 2013, but she never really left Belmont. She's still a fixture at games, especially women's basketball, known for her joyful energy, bright white hair, and big smile.

Kaari: 4:08

She's a spiritual, emotional, and personal mentor to generations of student-athletes, someone who shows up with love. And she's not just cheering from the stands. Betty also shows up during new student orientation, sharing her deep love for Belmont and telling every incoming student, 'if you see me on campus and you need a big hug, I've got one for you. Just ask."

Kaari: 4:30

For those of you who don't speak or understand Southern, here's a translation. If you see me on campus and you need a big hug, I've got one for you. Just ask.

Kaari: 4:42

And she means it. I've seen Betty on campus myself. She's often surrounded by students lined up for hugs. This year, Belmont announced that their newest residence hall will be named in Betty's honor.

Kaari: 4:55

As the parent of a Belmont student, I'm deeply grateful for her. Betty Wiseman is an extraordinary role model with a legacy that's impossible to measure. B-Dub loves Belmont, but more importantly, she loves Belmont students. I'm glad I had the opportunity to introduce you to Belmont Betty.

Kaari: 5:15

Last episode, I shared the story of my 1996 trip to the Women's Final Four in Minneapolis. Today, I'm fast-forwarding to 2002, the year my wife, a.k.a. Shmoopie, and I went to San Antonio for the Women's Final Four.

Kaari: 5:29

Now, we bought those tickets with full confidence that Stanford would be there. We had a really solid team that year, led by sophomore phenom Nicole Powell. But Stanford lost to Colorado in the Sweet 16. As I'm sure you can imagine, this loss was a brutal disappointment for yours truly. So instead, the final four that year featured Tennessee, Oklahoma, Duke, and, you guessed it, the UConn Huskies starring a young Diana Taurasi. Oh. UConn beat Tennessee in the semis, and Oklahoma beat Duke. So even without Stanford, it was still a banger of a Final Four. Shmoopie and I were staying in a hotel right by the San Antonio Riverwalk. Total Final Four tourist central.

Kaari: 6:13

That first afternoon, we found a cute little spot overlooking the river for lunch. We were chilling, eating chips, people watching, when suddenly in the distance, I spotted her. The legend, the icon... the queen of the Steely Stare, Tennessee head coach Pat Summitt. Apparently, I wasn't the only one who noticed.

Kaari: 6:35

A crowd started forming at the railing, people shouting, Pat, Pat! I couldn't see through everyone, so I stood up and leaned over the rail to get a better look.

Kaari: 6:45

And that's when it happened. Someone screams at the top of their lungs, "Pat!" Pat Summitt looks up and locks eyes with me. Yeah, me. Not the screamer. Just innocent little old me trying to sneak a peek.

Kaari: 7:04

And then she gives me the glare. The Pat Summitt glare. The kind that could make a referee or an opposing coach rethink their entire career.

Kaari: 7:14

I was mortified. I backed away slowly and evaporated into a pile of dust. Thankfully, Just as I was disintegrating, five boatloads of rowdy UConn fans floated by on the river, distracting Pat and saving me from complete public humiliation.

Kaari: 7:34

And that's how I accidentally got the Pat Summit glare. Like I said, I was mortified. I mean, she looked right at me. And I swear my soul momentarily left my body.

Kaari: 7:48

But looking back now, I have to say, I kind of cherish that moment.

Kaari: 7:52

Pat Summitt wasn't just any coach. She was a legend. Fierce, focused, and flat-out brilliant. The kind of leader who could change a game with a look. Clearly, I got one of those looks.

Kaari: 8:05

Coach Summitt passed away in 2016, and the game hasn't been the same since. But her legacy lives on. Still teaching, still inspiring. So yeah, I got the Pat Summitt glare, and now I wear it like a badge of honor.

Kaari: 8:23

Now let's move on to the awards section of our show. We'll start with the Buzzer Beater Award.

Kaari: 8:28

The Buzzer Beater Award goes to the NCAA Women's Championship game between UConn and South Carolina. This game pulled in huge numbers, an average of 8.5 million viewers, peaking at nearly 9.8 million. That makes it the third most watched title game since ESPN started airing the tourney back in 1996.

Kaari: 8:53

Why does this matter?

Kaari: 8:54

Well, with Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese now in the WNBA, some folks wondered if viewership might dip without their star power. Instead, fans showed up, big time.

Kaari: 9:05

While the 2025 final didn't quite match the record-breaking numbers of the last two years, it still ranks among the most-watched women's basketball games ever.

Kaari: 9:15

For context, it was up 75% in viewership from 2022, which also featured UConn versus South Carolina.

Kaari: 9:23

The bottom line is, the game and its stars are only getting stronger. Let's keep this momentum going.

Kaari: 9:31

And now, the Air Ball Award.

Kaari: 9:35

This week's Air Ball Award goes to the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame.

Kaari: 9:41

Look, I don't want to come in too hot, but how is Belmont Betty, a.k.a. B-Dub, not in the Hall of Fame yet? Huh?

Kaari: 9:52

She pioneered women's basketball in the Southeast, coached for 16 seasons, racked up nearly 250 wins, and literally helped sew her team's uniforms. She also drove the bus and built the program from nothing. And she's still on campus hugging students and cheering on the teams.

Kaari: 10:11

I mean, if that's not Women's Basketball Hall of Fame material, what is?

Kaari: 10:16

Hopefully we can get this changed. And in the meantime, The Women's Basketball Hall of Fame gets a big old air ball award.

Kaari: 10:27

And finally, our flagrant foul award.

Kaari: 10:30

This week's flagrant foul award goes to former Northville High School girls basketball coach Jim Zullo.

Kaari: 10:38

During the girls basketball state championship finals, Zullo was caught on video pulling the hair of a standout player, Haley Monroe.

Kaari: 10:46

Yes, you heard that right. Pulling her hair. What?

Kaari: 10:50

The footage quickly went viral, sparking national outrage. Zulu has since apologized and was rightfully dismissed from his position.

Kaari: 10:58

Let me be clear. This kind of behavior is unacceptable, full stop. It's unprofessional, abusive, and shatters the trust that should exist between an athlete and their coach.

Kaari: 11:10

Coaches are supposed to guide, support, and protect their players, not harm them.

Kaari: 11:15

So Coach Zullo, or rather, former Coach Zullo, you've earned this week's Flagrant Foul Award.

Kaari: 11:22

I'm Kaari Peterson, and you've been listening to Her Game Her Voice. If you'd like to hear more episodes of Her Game, Her Voice, please follow or subscribe to the podcast.

Kaari: 11:34

Subscribing and following the podcast is a mutually beneficial thing. It benefits you because you won't miss an episode, and it benefits me because, well, you won't miss an episode. And share an episode with a friend.

Kaari: 12:06

Thanks again for listening. And until next time, let's get hooping!