Knoxville (TN) – The Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame (WBHOF), the sole institution dedicated to women’s basketball, has officially announced its Class of 2025. This organization honors both national and international contributions to the women’s game.
“We are honored to pay tribute to seven distinguished legends of this exceptional sport,” said WBHOF President Dana Hart. “They exemplify the highest standards in women’s basketball and have made substantial contributions to the sport along with shaping the games’ historical trajectory.”
The class includes four players: Duke and WNBA/international great Alana Beard; multi-Team USA Olympians and WNBA stars Sue Bird of Connecticut and Sylvia Fowles of LSU, and WNBA/ Rutgers legend Cappie Pondexter.
Longtime Union (Tenn.) University NAIA national team championship-leading coach Mark Campbell is joined by veteran contributor and coach Lucille Kyvallos, who led both West Chester State College (Pa.) and Queens (N.Y.) College to early era greatness.
Completing the class is Women’s Basketball Coaches Association Executive Director Danielle Donehew, who also worked in administration at the WNBA Atlanta Dream, The BIG EAST Conference, The University of Tennessee.
The Tennessee Theater hosts the induction ceremony on Saturday, June 14, 2025. Each Inductee is awarded the Berenson Trophy, named in honor of notable Smith College coach Senda Berenson, who is recognized as the “Mother of Women’s Basketball.” Smith College sponsors the Berenson Trophy.
The WBHOF mission is to honor the sport’s history, celebrate current achievements and promote future advancements.
ALANA BEARD Player
· Kodak All-American, AP All-American and Women’s Basketball News Service All-American at Duke in 2002,2003 and 2004 · ACC Female Athlete of the Year 2003, and 2004 · ESPN.com National Player of the Year 2003, 2004 · 2004 John R. Wooden Award-Women’s Basketball National Player of the Year, State Farm Wade Trophy-National Player of the Year, United States, Associated Press-National Player of the Year, and USBWANational Player of the Year ·2004WNBA2nd overall pick by the Washington Mystics · WNBA All-Star 2005,2006,2007 · 2016 WNBA Los Angeles Sparks National Champion · 2017 and 2018 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year · Played internationally in Poland, South Korea, Isreal, and Spain from 2005-2016 · FIBA Americas Championship- USA Women’s U 18 Gold medal · In 2014, started the Alana Beard Foundation, a nonprofit organization working with AAU Basketball to provide resources to young women to achieve success on and off the court. Six teams are in Maryland, the Alana Beard’s Future and one in Shreveport, Louisiana, her hometown, called the Southern Mystics
SUE BIRD – Player
· 2x National Champion at UCONN (2000, 2002) · 3x Nancy Lieberman Award (2000, 2001, 2002) · 2002 Naismith College Player of the Year, USBWA Women’s National Player of the Year, and Senior CLASS Award.
· Big East Conference Women’s Basketball Player of the year 2002 · 4x WNBA champion (2004, 2010, 2018, 2020) · 12x WNBA All-Star (2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022) · 5x All-WNBA First Team *2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2016) · WNBA All-Decade Team 2006, named to the Top 10 Players from the first 10 Years · WNBA Top 15 Players of All-Time 2011, named to the Top 15 players from the first 15 years.
· WNBA All-Time leader in seasons played, games played, assisted leader, minutes played, turnovers.
· 5x USA Olympic Gold Medalist (2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020) · 4x FIBA World Cup Gold Medalist (2002, 2010, 2014, 2018) · 5x Euro League Women’s Champion (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013) · 2002 ESPY Award-Best Female College Athlete MARK CAMPBELLCoach · In his 26th season (1999-present) as head coach of Division II Union University (Jackson, TN) · Overall record of 742-116 · Named Director of Athletics at Union in 2023 · Won NAIA National Championships in 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010.
· NAIA Hall of Fame and the Jackson-Madison County Sports Hall of Fame · 2019 USA Development Coach of the Year · 48 Consecutive #1 Rankings in the NAIA national poll. (20072011) · NAIA National Coach of the Year (2005, 2006 2009, 2010) · 2x NAIA WBCA Coach of the Year (2004, 2008) · Fastest coach in college basketball to both 600 and 700 wins.
· 19 Regular season conference titles and 14 conference tournament titles · Named Gulf South Conference Coach of the year five times (2015, 2016, 2018, 2021, 2022) · Named Gulf South Conference Coach of the Decade and Tennessee Sports Writers Coach of the Year.
DANIELLE DONEHEWContributor · Executive Director of the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association 2014-present · Established and launched WBCA Enterprises, LLC.to expand nonprofit coaches’ association into for-profit business space.
· WBCA recipient of the 2023 Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame Trailblazer Award for their contribution to women’s basketball · Created “Naismith Starting 5” position player awards (2018) which are presented in partnership with the NMBHOF and WBCA to the top college women’s basketball players in the country.
· Founding partner in Coaches+Media with NABC (2022), media content was created to tell coaches’ stories.
· Built new WBCA game events, MTE in Orlando, Invitational Class in Las Vegas.
· Advanced women’s basketball through her leadership at Georgia Tech, University of Tennessee, WNBA Atlanta Dream, Big East Conference, American Athletic Conference and the WBCA.
· Named to Georgia Tech 70 most Influential Women Graduates of all time.
· Established the Daniel M. Donehew Women’s Basketball Scholarship at Georgia Tech (2015) · Recognized as an ACC Legend in 2013 · Board Member of the WBHOF, NMBHOF, Kay Yow Cancer Fund, Pat Summitt Foundation, and Pat Summitt Leadership Group.
· Represents the coaching community on various NCAA committees.
· Leads a 3,800+ membership of the WBCA.
SYLVIA FOWLESPlayer · 2007 Kodak All-American, SEC All-Tournament Team, First -team All-American (ESPN.com, Wooden Award, USBWA), and First-Team All-SEC · 2008 SEC Player of the Year (LSU) · 2008 NCAA Women’s Final Four (LSU) · Number 34 Jersey retired by LSU Lady Tigers · 2x WNBA Champion (2015, 2017) · 2x WNBA Finals MVP (2015, 2017) · 8x WNBA All-Star · 3x WNBA First Team (2010, 2013, 2017) · 8x WNBA Defensive First Team (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2021,2022) · WNBA 25TH Anniversary Team (2021) · 4x USA Olympic Gold Medalist (2008, 2012, 2016, 2020) · World Champion Gold Medal 2010 · 2x Europe SuperCup winner (2009, 2010) · 2x EuroLeague Champion (2009, 2010 LUCILLE KYVALLOSVeteran Coach
· 1962-1966 Head Coach, West Chester State College, record 522.
· 1968-1980 and 1981-1982 Head Coach at Queens College (HY), record 259-71, had an193 81% winning percentage in collegiate career (311-73) · 1973 AIAW National Championship versus Immaculata beat previously undefeated Immaculata before a crowd of over 3,300 with national media coverage.
· 1975 Historic game at Madison Square Garden, first women’s collegiate basketball game played at the Garden, with over 12,000 spectators.
· 1976 Lady Champion Sportwear National Coach of the Year · 1972-1976 AIAW Basketball Committee, Chair 1976-1979 · 1969-1971 AAU/ Division of Girl’s and Women in Sports (DGWS) Women’s Basketball Rules Committee (moved the women’s game to the “Rover” game and next step towards 5-on-5) · Inducted into the Springfield College Athletic Hall of Fame, Queens College Athletics Hall of Fame, New York City Basketball Hall of Fame, West Chester College Hall of Fame · Court at Queens College Fitzgerald Gymnasium named the “Lucille Kyvallos Court.”
· 1977 Head Coach of US Women’s Team in 1977 at World University Games, winning Silver · 1969-1972 and 19741976 US Olympic Committee Member CAPPIE PONDEXTERPlayer · Led Rutgers University to a 97-22 record and back-to-back Big East Championship in 2005 and 2006 · Competed in four NCAA Tournaments, including an Elite Eight appearance in 2005.
· 2003 Big East Rookie of the Year · 2006 Big East Player of the Year · 2006 Women’s Basketball News Service National Player of the Year · 1st round, 2nd overall pick in WNBA Draft (2006) · 2x WNBA Champion (2007, 2009) · WNBA Finals MVP (2007) · 7x WNBA All-Star (2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015) · WNBA 15th, 20th and 25th Anniversary Teams · 2008 USA Women’s Basketball Olympic Team · 4x Turkish National League (*2007, 2008, 2012. 2013) · 4x Turkish President Cup winner (2007, 2008, 2012, 2013) · 3x Russian Cup Winner (2009, 2010, 2011)
