KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — The Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame has announced the 12 finalists under consideration to be enshrined as part of the Class of 2023.

The twelve nominees were announced during halftime of the South Carolina vs. Maryland women’s basketball game on Friday.

The eight-member 2023 class will be selected from these 12 finalists. Inductees will be announced on Nov. 27 during halftime of the Phil Knight Invitational championship game.

The 12 finalists for the Class of 2023 are:

Brian Agler, Coach

  • Winningest professional women’s basketball coach (308-220) … won four world titles as head coach of the WNBA Los Angeles Sparks (2016) and Seattle Storm (2010) as well as the ABL’s Columbus Quest (1998, 1997)
  • College coaching at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M, the University of Missouri-Kansas City and Kansas State University…has an overall collegiate coaching record of 248-135
  • Member of Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame (2014), Wittenberg Hall of Fame (1995), University of Missouri-Kansas City Hall of Fame (2013) and the Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College Hall of Fame (2014)

Cathy Boswell, Veteran Player

  • Member of Team USA gold medalists at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles
  • Two-time Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Kodak All-American and two-time Wade Trophy finalist
  • Career standout at Illinois State University (1980-1983) finishing with 2,005 points and 1,054 rebounds

Donna Lopiano, Contributor

  • Chief Executive Officer of the Women’s Sports Foundation from 1992 to 2007…member of Fox Sports’ “The 10 Most Powerful Women in Sports” list
  • Director of Women’s Athletics at The University of Texas from 1975-92…women’s teams won 18 national championships in six different sports, including 1985-86 first undefeated NCAA champion (34-0) in women’s basketball…school hosted the first sold-out NCAA women’s Final Four in 1987
  • Member of Texas and Connecticut Women’s Halls of Fame

Lisa Mattingly, Official

  • 33-year official…officiated in 10 NCAA Women’s Final Four championship games (2001-2007, 2009, 2011, 2014) and seven semifinals (1999, 2000, 2010, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2018)
  • Officiated the WNBA League Championship Series from 2000-07 and the WNBA League Finals from 2002-06
  • Recipient of the 2002 Naismith Award as Outstanding Official

Paula L. McGee, Player

  • Joined USC in 1980, averaging 20 points and 9 rebounds per game as a freshman
  • 1982 WBCA All-American, 1983 Kodak All-American,
  • Member of 1983 and 1984 NCAA Championship teams
  • Retired jersey hangs in the Galen Center at the University of Southern California.

Taj McWilliams-Franklin, Player

  • 1993 NAIA National Player of the Year
  • Six-time WNBA All-Star
  • Two-time WNBA champion
  • One of twelve WNBA players to score 5,000 career points and ranks third all-time in career rebounds.

Carolyn Peck, Coach

  • Head coach at Purdue University (1997-99), the Orlando Miracle (1999-01), and the University of Florida (2002-07)
  • Purdue’s 1999 NCAA national championship still is the only Big Ten team to win a title in the sport
  • Named 1998-99 USBWA Coach of the Year, WBCA Coach of the Year, AP College Basketball Coach of the Year and the Naismith College Coach of the Year

Sue Phillips, Coach

  • Won two consecutive gold medals with Team USA (2013, 2014) …added a gold medal as head coach of the 2021 U16 FIBA Americas Championship team
  • 27 years as Head Coach of Archbishop Mitty High school (692-128) … guided squads to 62 titles (22 leagues, 21 CCS, 12 NorCal, 6 states, 1 national)
  •  2018 Naismith Coach of the Year and 2018 WBCA Coach of the Year

Crystal Robison, Player

  • Six-time WNBA All-Star (2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011) and voted to the list of WNBA Top 15 Players of All Time in 2011
  • Played for Colorado State (1995-1999), finishing her career as the program’s all-time leading scorer (2,740 points)
  •  Named 2015 ESPNW Woman of the Year

Saudia Roundtree, Player

  • Kilgore Junior College (1992-1994) stand-out…led KJC to 1993 NJCAA national championship…named to 1993-94 WBCA Junior College All-America Team and was 1993-94 WBCA Junior College National Player of the Year after averaging 26.2 points per game
  • Two-time first-team All-SEC honoree…member of 1995-96 WBCA Division I All-America Team…led University of Georgia to 1995-96 SEC championship and consecutive NCAA Final Four appearances
  • Named WBCA (NCAA Division I), Naismith, U.S. Basketball Writers Association, UPI, Basketball Times and the ESPYs 1995-96 National Player of the Year…only one of two to be honored by the WBCA as national player of the year at both Junior College and NCAA Division I level

Mary “Roonie” Scovel, Coach

  • Head Coach at Gulf Coast State College (1996-2012) and again from 2014-present…has a record of 622-87 (.877)
  • Teams won 90 straight games between 2000-04 seasons…led squads to six NJCAA national championships (2003, 2008, 2010, 2016, 2017, 2019), 18 conference championships and 13 regional titles
  • Six-time NJCAA National Coach of the Year (2003, 2008, 2010, 2016, 2017, 2019), 2019 Spalding Coach of the Year and 2018 U.S. Marine Corps/WBCA Two-Year College Coach of the Year

Lindsay Whalen, Player

  • In her four years, Minnesota compiled an 80-43 (.650) record, including 72-23 (.758) in her final three seasons (2002, 2003, 2004) … one of only three sophomores in conference history to earn Big Ten Player of the Year honors (2002)
  • Three-time WNBA world championship team member (2011, 2013, 2015) …All-WNBA First Team in 2008, 2011, and 2013…four-time WNBA All-Star (2006, 2011, 2013, 2014)
  • Two-time Team USA gold medalist in 2012, and 2016 Olympic Games… member of Team USA 2010 and 2014 FIBA World Champions…led Team USA to gold medals at the 2003 FIBA World Championship for Young Women (U21) and 2002 FIBA World Championship for Young Women Qualifying Tournament (U20)

These highlights are just a few major accomplishments and not the comprehensive contributions these individuals have made to women’s basketball.

The 2023 recipients of the For the Love of the Game Award and the Trailblazers of the Game Award will also be announced on Nov. 27. The induction ceremony is scheduled for April 29, 2023 at the home of the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in Knoxville.