A former University of Virginia women’s college basketball player, who inspired a Disney Channel original movie, has died at the age of 54.
Heidi Burge Horton, who played at Virginia with her twin sister, passed away earlier this week. The school announced her death on Thursday.
‘We are deeply saddened by the passing of Heidi Burge Horton,’ the university’s women’s basketball program wrote.
‘Heidi was a cherished member of the Virginia Women’s Basketball family, her legacy will forever be a part of Virginia Athletics. Our sincere condolences to her family and loved ones.’
Heidi played alongside her twin sister, Heather, with the Lady Cavaliers from 1989 to 1993.
In Charlottesville, the pair won three ACC championships and appeared in three straight Women’s Final Fours in 1990, 1991 and 1992.
Heide Burge Horton, a former WNBA player who inspired a Disney movie, has died at 54
Heidi (34) played at Virginia with her twin sister, Heather (30), and reached three straight Final Fours with the Cavaliers. The twin inspired the Disney Channel movie ‘Double Teamed.’
Burge played pro basketball overseas before returning to star on the Sparks and the Mystics
Virginia reached the national championship game in 1991, where they lost to powerhouse Tennessee in overtime.
The twins were born in Harbor City, California, and played together in high school before accepting scholarships to attend UVA.
In a 1993 Sports Illustrated article highlighting the rise of twins playing in college basketball at the time, Heidi was described as opposite of her sister. While Heather was hailed as her team’s top point scorer, Heidi was described as playing a more defensive role.
The profile noted that the twins would ‘often argue’ on the court, but their play was worth keeping them together. It worked well for the Cavaliers as the sisters, along with future WNBA All-Star and South Carolina women’s coach Dawn Staley, reached the height of their success.
Horton played three seasons abroad before joining the WNBA in 1997 – taking the court for the Los Angeles Sparks and the Washington Mystics. She retired in 2000 with a back injury.
Two years after she called it quits, Disney released the movie Double Teamed – with both sisters’ lives and names featured in the film.
According to an obituary, Horton was diagnosed with a grade four glioblastoma, a rapidly growing brain tumor, in October 2025. Her cancer went into remission after chemotherapy, but returned in July.
She is survived by her husband, Patrick, and two children: Jonathan, 23, and Holly, 21.
