Every Monday night, the gym at Ben Porat Yosef in Paramus resounds with the bouncing of the basketball off the rim. Among the players of the independent league CMEK are two sisters, Stephanie Greenspan of Teaneck and her sister Daniela Epstein of Manhattan. At only 5’7’’ Daniela Epstein has made a name for herself in the sport of basketball which she has been playing since the tender age of eight. In fact, Epstein, who played on Yeshiva University’s Lady Macs basketball team from 1999 to 2003, is the all-time leading scorer with 1,134 career points and is the only woman in YU history to score over 1000 points in her career. In recognition, Epstein will be honored in May among Yeshiva University alumni and other individuals who have distinguished themselves in National Athletic Association competitions and who best exemplify YU’s highest ideals and missions, as she joins the inaugural YU Hall of Fame class.
Hailing from Silver Spring, MD, Epstein attended the Hebrew Academy of Greater Washington where she participated in tennis and volleyball as well as basketball. During her four years there she scored over 1,000 points in basketball. She was voted all-star and was even touted at one point by the Washington Post as Athlete of the Week.
Her initial plan after high school was to try out for the basketball teams of either the University of Maryland or the University of Miami. However, plans changed when she was spotted by coach Dr. Karen Green at a high school competition against the Hebrew Academy of the Five Towns and Rockaway (HAFTR). Green, who was also the coach of Stern, persuaded her to consider YU which she ultimately did. She graduated with a marketing degree from Sy Syms School of Business. Currently, she is a manager at a wholesale diamond company in Manhattan.
Throughout her four years at Stern. Epstein, #14, earned many accolades and awards for her outstanding playing. In 2000, she was voted Player of the Week in the Eastern Conference Athletic Conference (ECAC). From 1999-2003, Epstein competed in the Betty Shabazz Memorial Tournament, earning MVP and being named to the All Tournament team. In 2003, she was voted YU’s Outstanding Female Athlete. She has been listed in Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities.
In addition to her Monday nights in Bergen County, Epstein plays twice a week on two urban teams in Manhattan. On each team, she plays with former teammates from Stern College. “There is such a camaraderie between us, even after all these years,” said Daniela. “The sport brings us together. I feel that young girls should be encouraged from an early age to participate in team sports. There is no limit to how far they can go and the experience is exhilarating.”
Bob Epstein, Daniela’s proud father, an attorney in Maryland who also dabbles in sports writing, attests to his daughter’s longstanding love of all sports. “She was swimming before she was a year old. On Sundays, we would head out to the skating rink and for winter vacation we would ski as a family in the Catskills.” As for sister Greenspan, “I’m incredibly proud of all of my sister’s accomplishments. It was a pleasure to play with her in high school and now, so many years later, as an adult. I love watching her compete!”
At the Inaugural Ceremony in May of 2017, Epstein will be honored along with legendary basketball coach Bernard “Red” Sarachek, fencing coach Arthur Tauber and wrestling coach Henry Wittenberg, as well as other all-time leading men’s basketball scorers. According to Joe Bednarsh, YU’s athletic director, “The establishment of the Hall of Fame is a testament to the contributions that Yeshiva athletes, coaches and others have made to the world of sports over more than a century and the reflection of Yeshiva’s long and illustrious athletic history. We look forward to adding to the inductee list in years to come with individuals who best exemplify the exceptional athletic ability, personal integrity, high standards of character and ideals and philosophy of Yeshiva University.”
By Pearl Markovitz
