June 13, 2009
Former Lady Bear head coach Sonja Hogg was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame at its 11th annual Induction Weekend June 12-13 in Knoxville, TN.
Hogg, who has worked in the Baylor University Development office since retiring from coaching nine years ago, will also be inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame on June 27 in Natchitoches, La.
After starting the Louisiana Tech women's basketball program, a stint in athletic administration at the University of Texas and three years as a coach at Deer Park (Texas) High School, she took over the Lady Bears' program in 1994. Hogg has coached and promoted the game of women's basketball for over 30 years.
Hogg becomes the third person with Baylor ties to earn the prestigious induction. Current Baylor head coach Kim Mulkey and current BU assistant and former Lady Techster head coach Leon Barmore were inducted in 2000 and 2003, respectively. Hogg has ties to both Mulkey and Barmore, Hogg credits Leon Barmore for helping take the program to the elite level. Hogg hired Barmore as her assistant in 1977 and promoted him to co-head coach after back-to-back national championships in 1981 and '82. Mulkey was part of the core of the team that won the last AIAW national championship in 1981 and the first NCAA title the next year, going 69-1 in that stretch.
In her 11 seasons as head coach of the Lady Techsters, Hogg compiled a record of 307-55, including two national championships (last AIAW title and first NCAA title) and six Final Fours. Hogg posted a mark of 83-91 in her six seasons at Baylor. She is also a recipient of the 2004 Naismith Women's Outstanding Contribution to Basketball Award and inducted into the Louisiana Tech Athletic Hall of Fame.
Joining Hogg in Saturday's induction ceremony for the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame are former players Jennifer Azzi from Stanford, Jennifer Gillom from Mississippi, Cynthia Cooper-Dyke from USC and Ora Washington, who is "widely considered the greatest African-American athlete of her generation and the best black female basketball player of the pre-World War II era; and Jill Hutchinson, who won 428 games in 28 seasons at Illinois State.
The 2009 induction class for the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame includes former NFL standouts Michael Brooks of the Denver Broncos, Marshall Faulk of the Indianapolis Colts and St. Louis Rams and Willie Roaf of the New Orleans Saints and Kansas City Chiefs; 1983 PGA Championship winner Hal Sutton from Shreveport; longtime LSU trainer Marty Broussard, who died in 2003; former girls' high school basketball coaching legend Carrice Russel Baker; and motorcycle racing champion Freddie Spencer.
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.
In order to be considered for selection for induction, an individual must meet the following prerequisites:
? Player: Must be retired from the highest level of play for at least five years
? Coach: Must have coached the women's game at least 20 years
? Referee: Must have officiated the women's game at least 10 years
? Contributor: Must have significantly impacted the game of women's basketball
