June 13, 2004

by The Associated Press

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- North Carolina coach Sylvia Hatchell was among six people inducted Saturday night into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame.

"When you love something or someone, you don't know what to say, and that's how I feel tonight," Hatchell said during the ceremony. "Words can't express the love I have for the game."

The other inductees were North Dakota State coach Amy Ruley, Oregon coach and Canadian Basketball Hall of Fame member Bev Smith, former USA Basketball executive director Bill Wall, retired Kansas coach Marian Washington and eight-time AAU All-American Lurlyne Greer Rogers.

Rogers, who died in 2001 at age 73, was represented at the ceremony by her niece, Beth Greer Byrd, and nephew, Ralph Greer.

The first Hall of Fame class was inducted in 1999. There are now 79 members.