source: wbuathletics.com

Former Wayland Baptist Flying Queen Alice “Cookie” Barron has been voted to the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame.

Barron, who helped establish the Flying Queens’ national record 131-game winning streak in the 1950s, was one of eight people named as the Class of 2022, along with former West Texas A&M coach Bob Schneider. Others were Debbie Antonelli (Contributor), Doug Bruno (Coach), Becky Hammon (Player), DeLisha Milton-Jones (Player), Paul Sanderford (Coach) and Penny Taylor (International Player). Barron was voted in as a veteran player.

In addition to the announcement of the Class of 2022, the WBHOF announced its recipient for the “Trailblazers of the Game” award. The 2022 “Trailblazer of the Game” recipient is Title IX. As Title IX enters its 50th anniversary, the WBHOF Board of Directors voted to give the award typically designated for teams and organizations to the Title IX legislation that afforded the opportunity for many female athletes to blaze their own trails.

The Class of 2022 – announced on ESPN2 during the Maryland at Iowa women’s basketball game – will be inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame on June 11, 2022, in Knoxville, Tenn. Tickets for the ceremony are on sale now. For more information regarding tickets, click here.

The WBHOF currently has 179 Hall of Fame inductees, including nine – five players, three coaches and a sponsor – who have ties to the Flying Queens.

Former Flying Queens players in the WBHOF are Patsy Neal, Lometa Odom, Katherine Washington, Jill Rankin-Schneider and Carolyn Bush Roddy; coaches are Harley Redin, who was part of the inaugural class in 1999, Dean Weese and Marsha Sharp (Queen Bees junior varsity and later Texas Tech coach); and sponsor is Claude Hutcherson. Also, former WBU Pioneer and storied high school coach Joe Lombard was inducted in 2016.

In addition, the 1953-58 Flying Queens teams that established the record 131-game winning streak were recognized as Trailblazers of the Game.

Barron, who was inducted into the WBU Athletics Hall of Honor as part of the fourth class in 1995, never played in a losing game as a member of the Flying Queens from 1953-57. The 5-foot-4 guard from Georgetown, Texas, helped the Flying Queens win 104 straight games and claim national championships all three of her seasons.

Barron was co-captain of the Flying Queens her final season in 1956-57 when she was named Wayland’s Outstanding Woman Athlete. It was Barron’s free throw with four seconds left in the third overtime which prolonged the win streak in a 53-52 road win over Iowa Wesleyan that season, and she was a first team All-American as the Queens claimed a fourth straight Amateur Athletic Union national title. She was also a member of the United States national team that beat Russia in the finals of the 1957 World Tournament in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Barron’s success continued into her professional career as an educator and athletics administrator. Upon her retirement in 1990 after 12 years as coordinator of athletics for Jefferson County School District, Colorado’s largest with 85,000 students, Barron had been recognized by numerous professional associations.

She has also been inducted in to the Hall of Fame of the National Federation of State High Schools Association, Jefferson County Schools Athletic Directors Association, Colorado High School Coaches Association, Sportswomen of Colorado, Colorado high School Activities Association, and Colorado Coaches of Girls’ Sports.

Throughout her career, Barron, who today lives in Lakewood, Colo., has remained a supporter of Flying Queens basketball. Her efforts contributed to the formation of the Flying Queens Alumni Association, now the Hutcherson Flying Queens Foundation, which provides support for the current team.

The Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame Board of Directors serves as the selection committee in determining the individuals to be inducted each year. Voting is based on minimum candidate requirements, which include record of performance, national or international recognition, and contributions to the game of women’s basketball.

Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame – Class of 2022
(NOTE: The following bio capsules highlight a few major accomplishments, but not the comprehensive contributions these individuals have made to women’s basketball.)
DEBBIE ANTONELLI (Contributor)

Entering her 34th college basketball season on air as a Basketball Analyst for multiple networks earning two Emmy Awards and one Gracie Award for work in broadcasting basketball
2007 Mel Greenberg Media Award Winner
2021 Inductee into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame

ALICE “COOKIE” BARRON (Veteran Player)

Played for Wayland Baptist Flying Queens, leading the team to an undefeated record of 104-0 from 1954-1957.
Helped guide Wayland to three National Championships en route to being named Wayland’s Outstanding Woman Athlete in 1956-57.
Helped guide USA Basketball to the gold medal in the 1957 FIBA World Championships

DOUG BRUNO (Coach)

Head coach for 36 years at DePaul University, guiding them to 24 NCAA Tournament appearances.
Three-time Big East Coach of the Year (2014, 2016, 2017) and three-time WBCA Regional Coach of the Year (2004, 2005, 2017).
Six-time Gold Medalist Coach with USA Basketball.

BECKY HAMMON (Player)

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

DELISHA MILTON-JONES (Player)

Two-time Olympic Gold Medalist (2000, 2008)
Two-time WNBA Champion with the Los Angeles Sparks (2001, 2002) and a three-time WNBA All-Star (2000, 2004, 2007)
The 1997 Wade Trophy Recipient

PAUL SANDERFORD (Coach)

25 Seasons as a collegiate head coach with a career record of 453-189 (.709).
Led Western Kentucky to 12 NCAA Tournament appearances including 3 Women’s Final Fours and was the 1992 NCAA Division I National Runner-Up.
Won a JUCO National Championship, was inducted into the NJCAA Hall of Fame in 2000 and into the Western Kentucky University Athletic Hall of Fame in 2008.

BOB SCHNEIDER (Coach)

All-Time coaching record of 1,045-293 (.781), with only 2 losing seasons in 40 years.
3rd All-time in NCAA Division II history with 634 victories.
During his 12 years at Canyon High School (Canyon, TX), his teams won 5 state championships and finished runner-up 5 times.

PENNY TAYLOR (International Player)

Three-time WNBA Champion (2007, 2009, 2014) and three-time WNBA All-Star (2002, 2007, 2011)
Named to the 2007 All-WNBA First Team and 2011 All-WNBA Second Team
Guided Australia Women’s National Basketball Team to two Olympic silver medals (2004, 2008)

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