Gillom Inducted Into Women's Basketball Hall Of Fame

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. Former Ole Miss All-America hoops star Jennifer Gillom was one of six members of the 2009 class to be inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame Saturday from the historic Bijou Theatre. 

Along with Gillom, Jennifer Azzi, Cynthia Cooper-Dyke, Sonja Hogg, Jill Hutchison and Ora Washington make up the Hall of Fame Class of 2009. With the addition of the six inductees in 2009, the list of individuals who have been recognized in the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame will increase to 109.

In her four years at Ole Miss, Gillom was a member of Rebel teams that compiled an overall record of 103-23, went to four consecutive NCAA Tournaments, including two Sweet Sixteens and two Elite Eights, and won three SEC West titles. She was honored with the distinction of SEC Female Athlete of the Year and was a Kodak All-America pick as a senior.

“I am very humbled to be going into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame,” Gillom said. “I am going in with a great class of inductees, all of which I admired and enjoyed playing with. This award is a reflection of all the other great men and women who contributed to the game of basketball. I think this honor is the pinnacle of women’s basketball.”

A 1986 Ole Miss graduate from Abbeville, Miss., Gillom remains the second-leading scorer in school history after amassing a total of 2,186 points to finish her career with an average of 17.3 points per game. Gillom also ranks third all-time in school history with 955 rebounds and fifth all-time with 112 blocked shots.

"The University of Mississippi shares in the excitement of Jennifer Gillom's selection to the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2009," Ole Miss Athletics Director Pete Boone said. "The Gillom family is special to the Ole Miss family, and Jennifer and her sister, Peggie, have always represented the University in a first-class manner. We are so proud that Jennifer is being recognized in this elite group."

Gillom went on to play in the Italian League for eight years before playing for Athens, Greece, during the 1996-97 season. She was also a member of the 1988 United States Olympic Team that won a Gold Medal. Gillom later starred in the WNBA for the Phoenix Mercury and the Los Angeles Sparks and was a first team All-WNBA selection in 1999 and an All-Star in 2000. She was recently promoted to head coach of the WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx.  

In 1999, Gillom was honored by the University of Mississippi with the Award of Distinction and was also inducted into the Ole Miss Athletics Hall of Fame. In addition, the former Women’s Sports Complex on the Ole Miss campus was renamed the Gillom Sports Center to honor the accomplishments of Jennifer and her sister, Peggie. The Gillom Sports Center serves as the home of the Rebel volleyball team and the men’s and women’s indoor tennis teams, while also housing offices and team rooms for several Ole Miss women’s sports.

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 may include moral character, integrity, sportsmanship, record of performance, ability, national or international recognition and contributions to the game of women’s basketball.

The mission of the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, which opened in June 1999, is to “honor the past, celebrate the present, and promote the future” of women’s basketball

The University of Mississippi Athletics

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