The Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame inducted its 19th group of inductees, the Class of 2017

The Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame inducted its 19th group of inductees, the Class of 2017, on June 10 in Knoxville TN. The six members of the Class of 2017 are: Sally Bell (official), Christine Grant (contributor), Rick Insell (coach), Louise O’Neal (veteran), Sheryl Swoopes (player), and Kara Wolters (player).

With the addition of the Class of 2017, the WBHOF recognized the 1975, 1976, 1977 Delta State women’s basketball teams for their contributions to the game in a display at the Hall entitled “Trailblazers of the Game”. The 1975, 1976, 1977 Delta State teams captured three consecutive AIAW championships.

Congratulations to the @WBHOF Class of 2017 #WreckEm #SwoopesWBHOF pic.twitter.com/Jx6HDjdkrb

— Lady Raider Basketball (@LadyRaiderWBB) June 11, 2017

WBHOF Bios

Sally Bell (Official)
Bell has 33 years’ experience in women’s basketball officiating. She has officiated 15 NCAA Division I Women’s Final Fours, including 13 consecutive from 1992 through 2004. Bell was named the 1991 Naismith Women’s Basketball Official of the Year. She also officiated the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta.

Christine Grant (Contributor)
Grant was a founding member of the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW). She was the recipient of the 2007 NCAA Gerald R. Ford Award. Grant was named the 1993 NACWAA Administrator of the Year and the 1992 WBCA Administrator of the Year. In 2008, she was inducted into the NACDA Hall of Fame

Rick Insell (Coach)
Insell led Shelbyville Central High School to 10 state championships, including two USA Today national championships. He has more than 1,000 victories at Shelbyville High School and Middle Tennessee State University. Insell was named the 1992 WBCA High School National Coach of the Year and the 1991 USA Today National High School Coach of the Year.

Louise O’Neal (Veteran)
O’Neal led Southern Connecticut University to third-place finishes in the National Women’s Collegiate Championships in 1971, 1973, and 1974, with eight straight appearances in the national championship tournament. She served on the NCAA Long-Range Planning Committee and Women’s Basketball Rules Committee. She was the recipient of the 2004 WBCA Jostens-Berenson Lifetime Achievement Award.

Sheryl Swoopes (Player)
Swoopes helped guide USA Basketball to gold medals in three Olympics (1996, 2000, 2004). She was named the 1993 WBCA Wade Trophy winner and the Naismith Player of the Year. Swoopes led the Houston Comets to four consecutive WNBA Championships. She was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016.

Kara Wolters (Player)
Wolters helped guide USA Basketball to the 2000 Olympic gold medal. She was named the 1997 AP National College Player of the Year. Wolters is the all-time leading rebounder (1286) and shot blocker (396) at the University of Connecticut. She was named a 1997 WBCA Kodak All-American and runner-up for the Naismith National Player of the Year.