Darlene (Stowers) Hale is a phenomenal woman with an impressive athletic background. In 1982 she captured NAIA All-American, was seventh on Texas Southern University’s all-time scoring list, started on the 1981 NAIA Tournament runner-up team and was a member of the Women’s American Basketball Association (WABA) in 1987, which was the women’s professional basketball league at that time. This year, her alma mater, Texas Southern University (TSU) in Houston, TX recognized her achievements by inducting her into its prestigious Sports Hall Of Fame on October 4, 2024.
“I went from being a professional basketball player in 1984 in the WABA (Women’s American Basketball Association) to a professional golfer in 1999 to present,” says Darlene.
Darlene, at 64, holds a BBA in Accounting from TSU and currently serves as the CEO of two impactful organizations. She leads Birdie Babe Inc., a non-profit dedicated to educating, motivating, and empowering young families to become strong, unified forces in their communities. She also heads Rainbow of Kids Academy, a child care center that serves children from infancy to 12 years old.
Darlene plans to retire in December 2024 to care for her 92-year-old mother. “My retirement will also include traveling, continuing to play golf professionally on the women’s senior tours, and working as a motivational speaker,” she shared.
ABOUT TSU
The Texas Southern University Sports Hall of Fame is an organization founded to promote a program of recognition for great athletes, coaches and supporters of the University Athletic Program. The organization works cooperatively with, and provides leadership for the administration of the University in a realization of basic beliefs and for improving the programs of intercollegiate athletics. The hope of the University is that the honorees will serve to keep alive the memories of the men and women who have brought fame and recognition to the University, City, State and Nation.
