Ruth Riley
A dominant 6'5" center who achieved the rare feat of being championship MVP at both the collegiate and professional pinnacle.
Born 1979 (age 47)·American basketball player·Birthday: August 28·Generation X
Biography
Ruth Riley's basketball story is one of fundamental excellence and clutch performance on the biggest stages. Hailing from Kansas, she became the defensive and offensive anchor for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, leading them to the 2001 NCAA title and earning Final Four MVP honors. Her professional career was defined by a similar winning mentality. Drafted by the Miami Sol, she found her championship home with the Detroit Shock, where her intelligent post play and shot-blocking were instrumental in securing WNBA titles in 2003 and 2006, claiming Finals MVP in 2003. Beyond the WNBA, Riley added an Olympic gold medal in 2004 and a FIBA World Championship gold in 2010 to her haul. Her career exemplifies the impact of a skilled, team-first center who consistently elevated her game when the stakes were highest.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Ruth was born in 1979, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Ruth Was Born
The biggest hits of 1979
#1 Movie
Kramer vs. Kramer
Best Picture
Kramer vs. Kramer
#1 TV Show
Laverne & Shirley
Ruth's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1979Born
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1984Started school
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1992Became a teenager
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1995Could drive
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
1997Could vote
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2000Turned 21
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2009Turned 30
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 40
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 47 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Led Notre Dame to the 2001 NCAA championship and was named the Final Four Most Outstanding Player.
- Won WNBA championships with the Detroit Shock in 2003 and 2006, earning Finals MVP in 2003.
- Earned an Olympic gold medal with the USA Basketball team at the 2004 Athens Games.
- Won a gold medal at the 2010 FIBA World Championship with Team USA.
Did You Know?
She was the 2001 NCAA Woman of the Year.
She served as president of the WNBA Players Association from 2005 to 2007.
She worked as a basketball analyst for ESPN after her playing career.
She is a member of the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, inducted in 2019.
“Defense wins championships, and I took pride in being a defensive stopper.”
