They're both Olympians, but Bruce Jenner's achievements were easier to recall than Jennifer Azzi's — at least, for Washington senior basketball player Mackenzie Argens.

"That's because of the Kardashians," Argens quipped.

Azzi isn't miffed. Now the women's basketball coach at San Francisco, Azzi's playing career is probably a mystery to some who'll watch her team in Seattle University's annual Thanksgiving Tournament this weekend.

Akron (1-3) and Loyola Chicago (3-1) play at 6 p.m. Friday at Connolly Center, followed by Seattle (1-3) and USF (1-4) at 8. Friday's losers will play at 6 p.m. and the winners will play at 8 on Saturday.

With a history that extends only 38 years since Title IX passed, you'd think current players could easily remember women's basketball's past. Not true.

"I'll look it up," said Argens, promising to do a Google search on Azzi.

The Dons' coach helped Stanford become a national power as point guard from 1987-90. She later won Olympic gold with the U.S. team in 1996, and helped cofound the now-defunct American Basketball League before a brief WNBA playing career.

This month, Azzi was nominated for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. She was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009. Her Stanford coach, Tara VanDerveer, joined her there this year.

Azzi's not surprised today's players aren't familiar with her.

"Some of them need some education, which is typical in women's sports," she said. "I'll ask any girl athlete who their favorite player is, and it's always Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant. It's never a woman athlete. Our game is still kind of young for that."

Azzi, 43, would rather be known for emulating her Hall of Fame coach, VanDerveer, by turning around a destitute program.

Azzi was hired in 2010 after USF had finished a 5-27 season. The Dons went 4-25 under Azzi in 2010-11.

San Francisco has made eight postseason tournament trips and reached the NCAA Sweet 16 in 1996. But the school's last postseason appearance was in 2002, in the WNIT.

A fierce competitor, Azzi said she's trying to alter the losing mentality and get her players better conditioned. The Dons are already defending better.

"Since my freshman year, we haven't had winning seasons, so it's been really difficult," said senior guard Rheina Ale. "It's important for us to stay together and keep battling every game. ... Knowing all the negative things that are said about our teams and the seasons that we've had keeps me motivated and it fuels our team, too."

"From freshman year to now, it's a completely different change in culture," said Dons teammate Katy Keating, a senior forward. "It energizes me to do the best that I can. Everyone's mentality has changed. Everyone is competing within the team to make everyone better. ... We're all at a different level now."

Jayda Evans: 206-464-2067 or jevans@seattletimes.com