Dawn Staley Named to Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Class
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April 8, 2013
Link to Full Naismith Hall of Fame Release
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced today the 12 members of the Class of 2013 to be honored September 6-8, 2013 during this year’s Enshrinement Ceremonies. Included in this year’s class is three-time Virginia All-American Dawn Staley.
As one of the most decorated players in women’s basketball history, Staley was a three-time Olympic Gold Medalist (1996, 2000 and 2004), five-time WNBA All-Star and two-time National College Player of the Year (1991-92). She was named the USA Basketball Female Player of the Year in 1994 and went on to begin her professional career as a two-time ABL All-Star (1997 and 1998).
At Virginia, Staley was a three-time Kodak All-America selection (1990-92) and the 1991 Honda-Broderick Cup Award collegiate female athlete of the year, helping to lead the Cavaliers to three NCAA Final Four appearances, including the 1991 National Championship game, in her four seasons in Charlottesville. The two-time national college player of the year (1991-92) left UVa as the program’s career leader in five categories and held ten different single-season marks as well as setting the ACC career assist mark. She finished her career with 2,135 points, 729 assists and 454 steals.
Along with Staley, the Class of 2013 includes current North Carolina women’s basketball head coach Sylvia Hatchell, nine-time NBA All-Star Gary Payton, seven-time NCAA Final Four coach Rick Pitino, four-time NCAA Final Four coach Jerry Tarkanian, five-time NCAA Final Four coach Guy Lewis and four-time NBA All-Star Bernard King.
They join the five directly elected members who were announced during the NBA All-Star Weekend in February by distinguished committees focused on preserving all areas from the game of basketball. These direct-elects include Roger Brown voted in from the American Basketball Association (ABA) Committee, Dr. E.B. Henderson from the Early African American Pioneers Committee, Oscar Schmidt from the International Committee, Richard Guerin from the Veterans Committee and Russ Granik from the Contributor Direct Election Committee. The Class Announcement was made at a press conference in Atlanta, the site of the 2013 NCAA Final Four, and televised live on NBA TV with host Jim Nantz from CBS Sports.
To be elected, finalists required 18 of 24 votes from the Honors Committee for election into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The addition of the direct elect committees were incorporated into the election process to maintain a strong focus on keeping history on the forefront of the voting procedures and to preserve a balance between two eras of basketball.
The Class of 2013 will be enshrined during festivities in Springfield, Mass. on Sunday, September 8. Ticket packages to the 2013 Enshrinement Ceremony and all Enshrinement Events are on sale now and available by calling the Hall of Fame at (413) 231-5540. Additional information on Enshrinement Week will be announced in the near future, and information will be available at http://www.hoophall.com/enshrinement-tickets/