Muffet McGraw And Val Ackerman Head New WBHOF Class

Updating for the full class announcement

By Mel Greenberg

UNCASVLLE, Conn. -- Notre Dame coach Muffet McGraw, a former St. Joseph's star, and former WNBA and USA Basketball President Val Ackerman were formally announced Saturday as members of the newest class of six inductees to the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in Knoville, Tenn.

The group was revealed on ESPN during the telecast of the WNBA All-Star Game at the Mohegan Sun Arena.

The class was voted last month by the board of directors during the induction weekend that saw ESPN broadcaster and former UConn star Rebecca Lobo become one of six inductees from the 2010 class.

McGraw, a Big Five Hall of Famer who guided the Irish to the 2001 NCAA title, is the second person inducted to the WBHOF wirth ties to the Hawks.

Theresa Grentz, a foemer Immaculata srar who was the Hawks' second coach when McGraw played at the Philadelphia university in the late 1970s, is a previous inductee.

Ackerman, who grew uo near Trenton, N.J., was the founding president of the WNBA and also became the first female president of USA Basketball.

She presided over the American delegation that saw both the men's and women's teams win gold medals at Bejing, China in 2008.

Ackerman is a former Virginia star whose collegiate coach Debbie Ryan was inducted in 2008.

Former St, Joseph's coach Jim Foster, now at Ohio State and who once had McGraw on his staff as an assistant with the Hawks, received strong consideration in last month's vote, as did Hartford coach and former UConn star Jennifer Rizzotti, according to a source familiar with the selection process.

Former Maryland and WNBA Washington Mystics star Viicky Bullet, who attended the WBHOF ceremonies lasrt month for her former Terrapins coach Chris Weller, was also named as was former Auburn star Ruthie Bolton, who also played in the WNBA. Both players won Olympic gold medals.

The other two inductees are Pearl Moore and Lometta Odom.

The WBHOF has the full release at its website.

-- Mel