Women's Basketball HOF Announces Special Events

The Women's Basketball Hall of Fame announced the Class of 2022 on ESPN2 during the Maryland at Iowa game (9:00 p.m. ET). The members of the Class of 2022 are: Debbie Antonelli (Contributor), Alice "Cookie" Barron (Veteran Player), Doug Bruno (Coach), Becky Hammon (Player), DeLisha Milton-Jones (Player), Paul Sanderford (Coach), Bob Schneider (Coach) and Penny Taylor (International Player).

In addition to the announcement of the Class of 2022, the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame announced its recipient for the "Trailblazers of the Game" award. The 2022 “Trailblazer of the Game” recipient is Title IX. As Title IX enters its 50th anniversary, the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame Board of Directors voted to give the award typically designated for teams and organizations to the Title IX legislation that afforded the opportunity for many female athletes to blaze their own trails. Women's Basketball Hall of Fame Board of Trustees Chair Carol Stiff stated “Without Title IX, our past and future inductees and trailblazers would not have had the opportunity to blaze those trails. It is only fitting that we honor Title IX as it has impacted so many female athletes not only in women’s basketball but in all sports”. Title IX will join eleven other teams and organizations that are recognized as “Trailblazers of the Game” by the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame. 

The 2022 Induction will mark the 23rd Class of Inductees to be honored by the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, which held its grand opening and inaugural induction in 1999. The Class of 2022 will be inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, receiving their coveted Eastman Trophy and Baron Championship Induction Ring, on June 11, 2022, in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tickets for the ceremony are on sale now. For more information regarding tickets click here. 

The Women's Basketball Hall of Fame Board of Directors serves as the selection committee in determining which individuals will be inducted each year and which groups will be honored as "Trailblazers of the Game." Voting is based on minimum candidate requirements, which include record of performance, national or international recognition, and contributions to the game of women's basketball.

For more information on the 2022 Women's Basketball Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony Weekend and to purchase tickets, please visit www.wbhof.com.

Women's Basketball Hall of Fame - Class of 2022

NOTE: The following bio capsules highlight a few major accomplishments, but not the comprehensive contributions these individuals have made to women's basketball.

DEBBIE ANTONELLI (Contributor)

·    Entering her 34th college basketball season on air as a Basketball Analyst for multiple networks earning two Emmy Awards and one Gracie Award for work in broadcasting basketball

·    2007 Mel Greenberg Media Award Winner

·    2021 Inductee into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame

ALICE "COOKIE" BARRON (Veteran Player)

·    Played for Wayland Baptist Flying Queens, leading the team to an undefeated record of 104-0 from 1954-1957.

·    Helped guide Wayland to three National Championships en route to being named Wayland's Outstanding Woman Athlete in 1956-57.

·    Helped guide USA Basketball to the gold medal in the 1957 FIBA World Championships

DOUG BRUNO (Coach)

·    Head coach for 36 years at DePaul University, guiding them to 24 NCAA Tournament appearances. 

·    Three-time Big East Coach of the Year (2014, 2016, 2017) and three-time WBCA Regional Coach of the Year (2004, 2005, 2017).

·    Six-time Gold Medalist Coach with USA Basketball.

BECKY HAMMON (Player)

·    Six-time WNBA All-Star (2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011) and voted WNBA's Top 15 Players of All Time in 2011

·    Played for Colorado State (1995-1999) finishing her career as their all-time leading scorer with 2,740 points

·    Named ESPNW Woman of the Year in 2015

DELISHA MILTON-JONES (Player)

·    Two-time Olympic Gold Medalist (2000, 2008)

·    Two-time WNBA Champion with the Los Angeles Sparks (2001, 2002) and a three-time WNBA All-Star (2000, 2004, 2007)

·    The 1997 Wade Trophy Recipient

PAUL SANDERFORD (Coach)

·    25 Seasons as a collegiate head coach with a career record of 453-189 (.709).

·    Led Western Kentucky to 12 NCAA Tournament appearances including 3 Women's Final Fours and was the 1992 NCAA Division I National Runner-Up.

·    Won a JUCO National Championship, was inducted into the NJCAA Hall of Fame in 2000 and into the Western Kentucky University Athletic Hall of Fame in 2008.

BOB SCHNEIDER (Coach)

·    All-Time coaching record of 1,045-293 (.781), with only 2 losing seasons in 40 years.

·    3rd All-time in NCAA Division II history with 634 victories.

·    During his 12 years at Canyon High School (Canyon, TX), his teams won 5 state championships and finished runner-up 5 times.

PENNY TAYLOR (International Player)

·    Three-time WNBA Champion (2007, 2009, 2014) and three-time WNBA All-Star (2002, 2007, 2011)

·    Named to the 2007 All-WNBA First Team and 2011 All-WNBA Second Team

·    Guided Australia Women's National Basketball Team to two Olympic silver medals (2004, 2008)

"Honor the Past, Celebrate the Present, Promote the Future"