NEWS

Louisiana Tech head women’s basketball coach and former Lady Techster Kodak All-American Teresa Weatherspoon was named as one of six members of the 2010 Class for the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame.

Weatherspoon will be the sixth member of the storied Lady Techster basketball program to be inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in Knoxville as she will join Kim Mulkey (2000), Leon Barmore (2003), Janice Lawrence-Braxton (2006), Pam Kelly (2007) and Sonja Hogg (2009).

Joining Weatherspoon in the Class of 2010 will be Leta Andrews (winningest high school girls coach in the country), Teresa Edwards (4-time Olympic gold medalist), Rebecca Lobo (2-time Kodak All-American from UCONN), Gloria Ray (first women’s AD in Tennessee history, led the drive to start the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame), and Chris Weller (coach at Maryland for 26 years).

“We are proud of Teresa for this very deserving honor,” said Tech Athletics Director Derek Dooley. “It is just another continuing example of the rich tradition of LA Tech Athletics. This is especially exciting considering that Teresa will be inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame while leading the Lady Techster basketball program into a new era.”

Weatherspoon was promoted to the head coaching position at Louisiana Tech in February and promptly led the Lady Techsters to a 9-2 mark down the stretch, a share of the Western Athletic Conference regular season title and a berth in the WNIT.

As a player, Weatherspoon spent eight years in the WNBA, however, it was her playing days at Louisiana Tech where she first earned her reputation as one of the most fierce competitors in the history of the game.

During her Lady Techster playing career which spanned from 1984 through 1988, Weatherspoon was a two-time Kodak All-American (1987, 1988) and won the prestigious Wade Trophy as the top player in the country during her senior season.

In fact as a senior, Weatherspoon earned an incredible trifecta as she was named the state player of the year, the American South Conference Player of the Year and the national player of the year.

In that same year (1988), Weatherspoon won a national championship title — LA Tech defeated Auburn 56-54 in the NCAA title game — and an Olympic gold medal as part of the US National Team.

She led the Lady Techsters to a mark of 118-14 during her career and two national championship game appearances in 1987 and 1988, earning spots on the All-Final Four teams both years. She was instrumental in leading Tech to a remarkable second half comeback against Auburn to claim the 1988 National Championship Title.

Weatherspoon — whose No. 11 jersey is retired at LA Tech — was named to the NCAA Women’s Basketball Team of the Decade for the 1980’s. A member of the 1,000-point club (1,087) at LA Tech, she still ranks No. 1 in career assists (958) and career steals (411).

Weatherspoon also earned distinction in USA Basketball circles, leading the US to the gold medal in the 1988 Olympics and the bronze medal in the 1992 Olympics. She also earned gold medals in the 1986 World Championships, the 1986 Goodwill Games and the 1987 World University Games.

During her time in the WNBA, Weatherspoon started 220 straight games and led the Liberty to three WNBA championship appearances in 1997, 1999 and 2000. She was a four-time WNBA All-Star, a four-time all-WNBA second teamer and the two-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year.

She still ranks No. 3 in career assists (1,338) and No. 8 in career steals (465) in the history of the WNBA.

Her professional playing experience started in 1988 when she went overseas to play. Weatherspoon spent six years in Italy — where she was named a six-time all-star — and two years in Russia.

The six individuals in the Class of 2010 will be formally inducted as members of the Hall of Fame on June 12, 2010, in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Written by Malcolm Butler