Riley Hall of Fame

Ruth Riley Named to 2019 Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame Class

NOTRE DAME, Ind. –  The Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame announced Notre Dame alumna Ruth Riley as part of its 2019 induction class on Monday night. Riley and the rest of the 2019 class will be introduced at the Women’s Final Four in Tampa in April, while the induction ceremony will take place June 8 in Knoxville, Tennessee.
 
The 21st Class of Inductees include: Beth Bass (Contributor), Joan Cronan (Contributor), Nora Lynn Finch (Contributor), Ticha Penicheiro (International Player), Carolyn Bush Roddy (Veteran Player), Valerie Still (Player) and Ruth Riley (Player).
 
Riley was a three-time All-American at Notre Dame, spearheading the Irish to their first national championship in 2001. Riley hit the game-winning free throws with 5.8 seconds left in the national title game on her way to earning Most Outstanding Player honors at the Final Four. 
 
Riley accumulated plenty of other honors along the way: Winner of the 2001 Naismith Award, two-time First Team CoSIDA Academic All-American, three-time First Team All-BIG EAST selection and 2001 BIG EAST Player of the Year – just to name a few.
 
She remains the only player in program history to surpass both 2,000 career points and 1,000 rebounds all while in an Irish uniform. Furthermore, Riley was the program’s all-time career leader in seven categories at time of her graduation and still holds the top spot in shooting percentage (.632), rebounds (1,007) and blocks (370).
 
Riley was selected by the Miami Sol in the first round (fifth overall) of the 2001 WNBA Draft, and went on to have a prolific career which included 2003 WNBA Finals Most Valuable Player honors after leading Detroit to its first title (Shock won second crown in 2006).
 
Riley remains in elite company as one of few players who have been named Finals MVP at both the NCAA and WNBA levels. In addition, she remains in a select few who have won an NCAA title, WNBA title and an Olympic Gold Medal.
 — ND —