Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame set to host its 13th annual induction weekend
Six women make up the 2011 Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2011. They will be honored June 10-11 in Knoxville, Tennessee at the Bijou Theatre. The inductees were announced last summer on ESPN during “WNBA vs. USA Basketball: The Stars at the Sun Game” at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. They were also introduced at halftime of the 2010 State Farm Tip-Off Classic on November 16 in Hartford, Connecticut.
The Class of 2011 includes:
Val Ackerman (contributor), Ruthie Bolton (player), Vicky Bullett (player), Muffet McGraw (coach), Pearl Moore (player) and Lometa Odom (player).
In order to be considered for selection for induction, an individual must meet the following prerequisites:
- Player: Must be retired from the highest level of play for at least five years
- Coach: Must have coached the women’s game at least 20 years
- Referee: Must have officiated the women’s game at least 10 years
- Contributor: Must have significantly impacted the game of women’s basketball
Also during the weekend the All-American Red Heads will be honored for their contributions to the game in a display at the Hall entitled “Trailblazers of the Game.â€Â On Saturday morning, the WBHOF will host a 4Kay Run/Walk in memory of Women’s Basketball Hall of Famer Kay Yow, who lost her battle with breast cancer on January 24, 2009. After the induction ceremony, there will be a celebration and silent auction at the WBHOF.
VAL ACKERMAN (Contributor) Ackerman was the WNBA’s first president, guiding the league to a much-heralded launch in 1997 and overseeing the day-to-day operations for its first eight years. A USA Basketball board member since 1989, Ackerman was the driving force behind the Women’s Senior National Team that produced a 60-0 record and won the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. In 2005, she became the first woman to serve as President of USA Basketball, which oversees the US Men’s and women’s Olympic basketball programs. A four-year starter and two-time Academic All-American at the University of Virginia, Ackerman played in France for one year.
RUTHIE BOLTON (Player) A two-time Olympic Gold Medalist and WNBA All-Star, Bolton scored over 2,000 career points, is fourth on the WNBA’s all-time 3-pointer list and is the only player in the history of the Sacramento Monarchs to have her number retired. She was the first WNBA Player of the Week in July of 1997. She was the 1991 USA Basketball Female Athlete of the year. In four seasons at Auburn, Bolton led her team to a combined record of 119-13, which included three Southeastern Conference Championships, four NCAA Tournament appearances and two runner-up finishes (1988 and 1989).
VICKY BULLETT (Player) Bullett was a 1989 Kodak All-America for the University of Maryland, where over the course of her career she averaged 16.9 points and 5.8 rebounds per game to become one of the most decorated players in Maryland history. Bullett was a member of three ACC Championship teams en route to being named the 1989 ACC Player of the Year, and ACC Tournament MVP. A two-time Olympian, Bullett was a part of the USA Women’s Basketball team that won gold in 1988 and captured bronze in 1992. She played six seasons in the WNBA, scoring 2,018 points.
MUFFET MCGRAW (Coach) As head coach at Notre Dame, McGraw led the Irish the 2001 NCAA Division I National Championship and was named 2001 Naismith, Associated Press, WBCA and U.S. Basketball Writers Association National Coach of the Year. She was the 2009 Carol Eckman Award Recipient. In 23 seasons at ND, McGraw has led her teams to two Final Fours, eight Sweet Sixteen appearances and 20 seasons with 20-or-more victories. She was a member of the USA Basketball Women’s Collegiate Committee and is currently the Division I Legislative Chair for the WBCA’s Board of Directors.
PEARL MOORE (Player) A four-time All-American, Moore is the all-time career-scoring leader for women’s college basketball (4,061 points). After scoring 177 points in eight games at Anderson Junior College, Moore transferred to Francis Marion where she played from 1975-79. She was the 1979 SCAIAW and American Women’s Sports Foundation Small College Player of the Year. She was a final nominee for the 1978 Wade Trophy. Moore was a first-round draft choice in the WBL and participated in the 1981 WBL All-Star game. She also played one season in Venezuela. Moore was inducted into the Francis Marion Hall of Fame in 1992.
LOMETA ODOM (Player) In four seasons with the Wayland Baptist Flying Queens, Odom compiled a record of 115-5 and was the first Wayland Baptist player to pick up four consecutive AAU All-America Honors. She set the scoring record with 78 points in one game and was named the 1956 AAU Tournament MVP. Odom finished her career with 1,614 points. She was the first woman inducted into the Texas High School Basketball Hall of Fame and the Texas Panhandle Sports Hall of Fame.
