Whalen, Peck lead Hall of Fame class
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Lindsay Whalen, who helped the Minnesota Lynx win four WNBA championships, will be inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame next spring as part of a five-member class.
Joining Whalen will be ESPN analyst Carolyn Peck, who became the first Black head coach to win an NCAA women’s basketball championship when she led Purdue to the title in 1999. The other inductees announced Sunday were 1984 Olympic gold medalist Cathy Boswell, former Texas women’s athletic director Donna Lopiano and longtime official Lisa Mattingly.
Whalen led Minnesota to the Final Four in 2004. She won two Olympic gold medals and currently is the head coach of Minnesota. She was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in September. She also played for the Connecticut Sun during her WNBA career.
Besides leading Purdue to the title, Peck has coached in the WNBA and at Florida.
Boswell was a two-time WBCA Kodak All-American and two-time Wade Trophy finalist during her time at Illinois State, finishing her collegiate career with 2,005 points and 1,054 rebounds.
Lopiano was an administrator at Texas from 1975-92 before becoming the director of the Women’s Sports Foundation until 2007.
Mattingly officiated for 38 years, including doing 10 NCAA title games and five WNBA Finals.
The Hall of Fame also announced that the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association will receive the Trailblazers of the Game Award.
The ceremonies will take place on April 29.