Former WKU women’s basketball head coach Paul Sanderford has been named to the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2022, the organization announced on Monday night.
Sanderford served as head coach at WKU for 15 seasons (1983-97) and amassed 365 total wins and led the Lady Toppers to three Final Fours, including the 1992 National Championship game. WKU made 12 NCAA tournament appearances under Sanderford and posted 20-wins in all but two seasons on The Hill.
The Lady Toppers earned 15 NCAA tournament victories during his tutelage, advancing to at least the Sweet Sixteen four times. WKU claimed five Sun Belt Conference regular season championships and seven league tournament titles under Sanderford. He earned SBC Coach of Year honors three times (1983, 1986 and 1991), while coaching seven different All-Americans.
Sanderford took over as head coach for the women’s basketball team at Nebraska in 1997, leading the Huskers to three consecutive NCAA tournament appearances (1998, 1999 and 2000).
Sanderford returned to the WKU sidelines for four seasons as an assistant coach for the men’s basketball team in 2003.
He was inducted into the WKU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2008 and has a jersey in the rafters of E.A. Diddle Arena bearing his name.
Sanderford’s reach in women’s basketball can also be seen in his coaching tree. Former WKU and current Cincinnati head coach Michelle Clark-Heard played for Sanderford at WKU and was an assistant coach alongside Sanderford at Nebraska. Current Louisville women’s basketball head coach Jeff Walz, who has coached the Cardinals to two national championship games, was an assistant under Sanderford at WKU and Nebraska. Nebraska head coach Amy Williams was a player under Sanderford during his time with the Huskers.
The other members of the Class of 2022 are: Debbie Antonelli (Contributor), Alice "Cookie" Barron (Veteran Player), Doug Bruno (Coach), Becky Hammon (Player), DeLisha Milton-Jones (Player), Bob Schneider (Coach) and Penny Taylor (International Player).
The 2022 Induction will mark the 23rd Class of Inductees to be honored by the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, which held its grand opening and inaugural induction in 1999. The Class of 2022 will be inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, receiving their coveted Eastman Trophy and Baron Championship Induction Ring, on June 11, 2022, in Knoxville.