Sylvia was born in Steubenville, Ohio.  She attended Steubenville “Big Red” High school, where she played Volleyball, Basketball, Track.   She earned a full scholarship to play basketball at the University of North Carolina where she led the Tar Heels, as a Captain, to a National Championship her senior year.  Sylvia was named the Coach’s MVP of the Final Four.  She graduated with a double major of Communications, and Radio & TV Motion Pictures. 

 

Sylvia signed her first professional contract to play abroad in France and would continue to play professionally in 16 different countries.  A Silver and multiple Gold Medalist, she played USA Basketball for the Jones Cup, Select Team, Pan American Games, and World University Games. In 1997 She was named USA Basketball Player of the Year, shortly after she was named to the USA National Team where she became an Alternate for the 1998 Olympic Games. 

 

Sylvia played for the (ABL) American Basketball League, where she won the First ever women’s Slam Dunk Contest.  She won with a perfect score of 100, doing a Blindfolded Dunk.  In 1998, The ABL suspended operations and she quickly transitioned to the WNBA where she played for Portland, Fire and San Antonio Silver Stars.  After 12 years of Professional Basketball, Sylvia retired from the San Antonio Silver Stars which relocated and is now known as the Las Vegas Aces.  

 

Sylvia transitioned into coaching College Basketball, where her ministry and passion collides everyday as she inspires and develops young hearts and minds using Basketball as a platform.  She’s coached at Fordham University, and quickly rose to a Head Coaching position at Ohio University, and Boston College.  Sylvia has had the honor of coaching at her Alma Mater UNC- Chapel Hill where her jersey hangs in the raptors.  She has even coached at the highest-level coaching as an Assistant for WNBA Indian Fever. Currently, Coach Syl is a Global Coach where she trains male and female athletes in India, Africa, as well as the US.      

 

Off the court, Sylvia is CEO of Crawley’s Creation LLC, a fashion and interior design company, she is also the co-founder of Monarch Magazine, sold nationwide at Barnes and Nobles.  Sylvia married her best friend; Pastor Brian Spann, they reside in Durham, North Carolina where they care for her 81 year-old parents, James and Marie Crawley. In her spare time Sylvia travels to Schools across the country inspiring young hearts and minds with her Signature Slam Academy where she helps athletes ignite a championship mindset so that they can achieve limitless victories on and off the court.  Please give a warm welcome for Coach Sylvia Crawley Spann.