University of Detroit Mercy Athletics

A four-year letterwinner on the hardwood, Blackburn came to the University in 1978 just one year after the Titan women's basketball team made its debut. During her four years, Detroit posted four 20-win seasons, including a school record 27-4 mark during her freshman campaign of 1978-79.

The Titans compiled a 95-26 record with wins over nationally ranked programs in No. 3 Kansas (52-46 on Feb. 14, 1981) and No. 9 North Carolina State (60-59 on Dec. 5, 1981). Detroit also regularly beat big programs in Michigan (6-1), Michigan State (4-1), DePaul (4-1), Ohio State (3-1), Indiana (4-0) and Wisconsin (2-0).

She was part of three-straight teams that won the state title from 1979-81, and finished runner-up in the regionals in 1979 and 1980. The 1980 Titan squad also became the first to be invited to a national tournament with a bid to the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women's (AIAW) National Tournament.  The Titans were also nationally ranked during the 1978-79 and 1979-80 seasons. 
 
She played in 104 career games with 99 starts and averaged 13.8 points per game, and is still fifth all-time in school history with 1,440 points. She also ranks third in the Titan record book in rebounds (846), seventh in steals (215) and 10th in assists (294).

As a freshman, she tallied 18.9 points and 8.6 rebounds per game in 15 games before a knee injury forced her to miss the rest of the year. She then came back to lead the team in scoring at 16.0 ppg., as a sophomore and leading the team with 9.8 rpg., with 15.1 ppg., as a junior.  
 
She was selected All-State as a junior after earning honorable mention All-State status in her first two years. She was also selected to the Region V All-Tournament squad as a junior and was nominated for the United Foundation's "Sportswomen of the Year" in the fall of 1980.
 
Her career highs were 31 points against Bowling Green in 1981, 18 boards versus Providence in 1980 and 12 assists against No. 3 Kansas in 1981. In that performance against the Jayhawks, she helped the Titans to their first-ever win over a ranked opponent as she tallied a triple double with 12 points, a team-high 16 rebounds and game-best 12 helpers.

She would later go on to coach high school, returning to her high school alma mater Detroit Pershing and leading one of the best teams in the city. In 2008, she was named the Detroit Public Schools (PSL) Girls Basketball Coach of the Year by the Detroit Free Press as she guided the Doughgirls to a 19-2 record and a PSL championship.