Ticha Penicheiro headlines Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame class

NEW YORK – Ticha Penicheiro, Ruth Riley and Valerie Still are headed to the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame.

The trio of former college stars headline a seven-person class that was announced Monday night. Joining them are longtime women’s basketball contributors Beth Bass (CEO of the women’s basketball coaches association), Nora Lynn Finch (inaugural chair of the NCAA selection committee) and Joan Cronan (former Tennessee athletic director).

Carolyn Bush Roddy, who starred for Wayland Baptist, rounds out the class that will be enshrined in June.

Penicheiro won the Wade Trophy in 1998 while starring for Old Dominion. She went on to hold the WNBA career assist record until it was broken by Sue Bird.

Riley helped Notre Dame win its first national championship in 2001 and was the AP Player of the Year that season.

Still was the all-time leading scorer and rebounder at Kentucky and helped the Columbus Quest win back-to-back ABL titles in 1997 and 1998.

Other finalists this year were Debbie Brock (veteran player), Lucille Kyvallos (veteran coach), Paul Sanderford (coach), Bob Schneider (coach) and Amy Tucker (contributor – assistant coach).

This is the first time in the hall’s history that they didn’t elect a coach as part of a class.

The Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women will also be honored by the hall for being a trailblazer of the game.