Peggie Gillom: A Hall of Famer

Photo created by the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame

Peggie Gillom, Ole Miss Women’s Basketball star, joined the rest of the greats this week as one of the six 2013 Hall of Fame inductees. The WBHOF announced the 2013 Inductees at a ceremony Saturday June 8, 2013 in Knoxville, TN. The Class of 2013 included Gary Blair (Coach), Jim Foster (Coach), Peggie Gillom-Granderson (Player), Jen Rizzotti (Player), Annette Smith-Knight (Player), and Sue Wicks (Player).

The mission of the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame is to “honor the past, celebrate the present, and promote the future” of women’s basketball.

The Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame’s Board of Directors serves as the selection committee in determining which individuals will be inducted each year. Voting is based on various factors, which include moral character, integrity, sportsmanship, record of performance, ability, national or international recognition, and contributions to the game of women’s basketball.

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

Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2013

GARY BLAIR (Coach)
Blair ranks in the top 15 in career victories and in the top 25 by winning percentage among Division I coaches. He is one of only three all-time NCAA Division I women’s basketball coaches to lead two different team to the NCAA Women’s Final Four. In 28 years as a collegiate head coach, Blair has compiled a 620-253 record, leading his current team, Texas A&M to the 2011 NCAA National Championship.

JIM FOSTER (Coach)
In 34 years, Foster has amassed a 765-294 record as a head coach. The 765 career victories rank eighth among active coaches and 12th all-time. He is just the second collegiate coach (men’s or women’s) at any level to win at least 200 games at three different schools (Ohio State University, Vanderbilt University, and St. Joseph’s University). He was named the 1993 USBWA Coach of the Year.

PEGGIE GILLOM-GRANDERSON (Player)
A four-year starting forward at the University of Mississippi, Gillom-Granderson is Ole Miss’ all-time leading scorer (2,486 points) and rebounder (1,271). She is one of two Ole Miss players to ever score more than 2,000 points and grab more than 1,000 rebounds. She was inducted into the Ole Miss Athletic Hall of Fame in 1996 and into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame in 1997. She was a finalist for the 1980 Wade Trophy.

JEN RIZZOTTI (Player)
Rizzotti player for the University of Connecticut from 1992-1996, leading the Huskies to their first national championship in 1995 with a perfect 35-0 record. She finished her collegiate career with 1,540 points, 637 assists, and 349 steals. She was a two-time Kodak All-American and NCAA Regional Most Outstanding Player (1995, 1996). Rizzotti was named the 1996 Wade Trophy winner, Associated Press Player of the Year, and
Big East Player of the Year.

ANNETTE SMITH-KNIGHT (Player)
Smith-Knight played at the University of Texas, leading the Longhorns to the 1986 NCAA Division I National Championship with a perfect 34-0 record. She is the school’s all-time leading scorer with 2,523 points. She was the 1983 and1984 Southwest Conference Player of the Year, a 1984 Kodak All-American, and a finalist for the 1984 Wade Trophy. Smith-Knight also helped lead USA Basketball to gold in the 1983 World University Games.

SUE WICKS (Player)
Wicks played for Rutgers University, where she still holds records (male or female) for points scored (2,655), scoring average (21,2 ppg), rebounds (1,357), rebounding average (10.9 rpg), blocked shots (293), field goals made/attempted (1,091 of 2,099), and free throws made/attempted (473 of 641). She was the 1988 Naismith Player of the Year, U.S. Basketball Writers Association Player of the Year, and Street & Smith’s Player of the Year. She finished her WNBA career as the number eight leader of blocked shots.

For information regarding the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, and the 2013 Induction Ceremony please visit www.wbhof.com.

Press release contact Josh Sullivan at the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame
(865) 633-9000 or jsullivan@wbhof.com