Former Sparks, Mystics forward dies at 54 following cancer battle

Heidi Burge Horton, who parlayed a successful college basketball career at the University of Virginia into a two-year professional career in the early seasons of the WNBA, died Tuesday, Oct. 6. She was 54.

Burge Horton was diagnosed with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer, in 2025.

“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Heidi Burge Horton. Heidi was a cherished member of the Virginia Women’s Basketball family, her legacy will forever be a part of Virginia Athletics,” the school said in a statement. “Our sincere condolences to her family and loved ones.”

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Along with her twin sister Heather, Burge Horton helped Virginia dominate the ACC for four seasons (1989-93), winning three conference tournaments and three regular season championships. In her college career, Burge Horton averaged 8.9 points and 6.4 rebounds per game. The Cavaliers reached the women’s final four three times with the Burges in their frontcourt.

“Heidi had very good face-up jumper and a great high-low passing connection with Heather,” ESPN’s Michael Voepel wrote on Twitter/X. “Burge twins were ‘California girls’ who came across country to Charlottesville & were beloved by UVA WBB fans. If you only know them through Disney movie ‘Double Teamed,’ trust me, they really were very good basketball players and didn’t do any of the goofy moves in the film.”

The Guinness Book of World Records awarded the Burge sisters the title of “World’s Tallest Female Identical Twins” in 1992.

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After competing internationally from 1995-97, Burge Horton played 52 games in the WNBA from 1997-98. She averaged 4.0 points and 3.1 rebounds for the Los Angeles Sparks in their inaugural season, mostly in a bench role.

In 1998-99, Burge Horton played 30 games and started 15 for the Washington Mystics, averaging 6.7 points and 3.3 rebounds.

After retiring as a player, Burge Horton became the president and head coach of Hoops-School, a premier Youth Basketball Training organization in West Houston, where she also worked as an Orthopedic Massage and Physio-Therapist.

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