Illinois Basketball Hall of Fame Welcomes Board Members

The Illinois Basketball Hall of Fame Museum is welcoming some very well-known basketball names to its Advisory Board.

Hall of Fame Museum Board of Directors President Ron Crick announced recently that Deon Thomas, Bruce Weber, Chris Reynolds, Carol Plodzien and Jim Flyn will be joining Jerry Colangelo and Jill Hutchinson on the Danville-based museum's Advisory Board.

"When our organization was formed just three years ago, both Jerry Colangelo and Jill Hutchinson jumped on board to support our efforts, so we truly are pleased to see them now be joined by these individuals who represent a very high caliber of Illinois basketball and who want to see this project be successful," Crick said.

Founding members of the Illinois Basketball Hall of Fame and Museum have partnered with the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association and the city of Danville to locate the museum at the David S. Palmer Arena. Unlike any other basketball project in the state, the Illinois Basketball Hall of Fame Museum is being designed to be an interactive museum that will share the storied history of men's and women's basketball in Illinois, from the high school to professional level. A portion of the museum will be dedicated to the men and women of the Illinois Basketball Hall of Fame.

Well known to University of Illinois basketball fans, Thomas was a four-time All-Big Ten player, leading U of I scorer and three-time MVP.

Plodzien is an Illinois Basketball Hall of Fame coach. Her teams won 558 games in her 34 seasons at Fremd High School, wining 12 league crowns in six seasons.

A native of Peoria, Reynolds is Senior Associate Athletic Director at Indiana University, his alma mater, where he co-captained the 1992-93 Big Ten championship team.

Flynn is retired from 31 years as an Illinois High School Association administrator.

Former University of Illinois and current Kansas State University coach Weber led the Illini to two Big Ten championships and six trips to the NCAA Tournament, including the 2005 championship game; his Division I record is 313-144.

Colangelo joined the Advisory Board as an honored member of the Naismith  Basketbal Hall of Fame and four-time National basketball Association Executive of the Year. He has owned the NBA's Phoenix Suns, the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury, the Arizona Sandsharks Soccer team, the Arizona Rattlers Arena football team and the Arizona Diamondbacks Major League baseball team. Most recently, Colangelo has served as Director of USA basketball for the Olympics and the 2010 FIBA World Championships.

Hutchinson coached 28 seasons at Illinois State University, winning 428 games and making three trips to the NCAA Tournament and six trips to the WNIT. She was the first president of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association, serving three terms.

More informatioin is available at www.ilhoopshall.com, email: info@hoopshall.com or phone 217-442-DUNK.