Sept. 30, 2004

Athens --- Katrina McClain, who won 1987 National Player of the Year honors while playing for the Georgia Lady Bulldogs and then became one of the most decorated international players in U.S. history, has been elected into the State of Georgia Sports Hall of Fame.

The 2005 GSHF Induction Ceremony will take place on Saturday, May 14, 2005 at the Macon City Auditorium. McClain will join her former Georgia teammate Teresa Edwards, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2001.

"I think it's a fitting honor for Katrina to be voted into Georgia's Hall of Fame," Georgia coach Andy Landers said. "She had an exceptional career here at Georgia and after her collegiate days were over. In the late-1980s and early-1990s, she and Teresa were considered the best players in the world. For a time, people thought Teresa was the best overall player and Katrina was the best power player. Then there was a time when people thought Katrina was the best overall player and Teresa was the best perimeter player. They kind of went back-and-forth with that. We're obviously very proud to call Katrina -- and Teresa -- a Lady Bulldog and appreciate all they have done for Georgia Basketball and women's basketball in general."

A native of Charleston, S.C., McClain played at Georgia from 1983-87 and was a member of teams which compiled a 116-15 record. During that span, the Lady Dogs finished as NCAA runner-up in 1985 and won the 1984 and 1986 SEC Championships.

Individually, McClain was named consensus National Player of the Year in 1987. Interestingly, two of three Lady Bulldogs who have won National Player of the Year accolades are South Carolina natives -- the other being Saudia Roundtree (Anderson, S.C.) in 1996. McClain also was a consensus first-team All-America selection in both 1986 and 1987.

McClain still holds the Georgia single-game records for rebounds (24) and free throws attempted (21) and the single-season records for points scored (796), scoring average (24.9 ppg), field goals made (299), free throws made (176) and free throws attempted (240). Among Lady Bulldog career leaders, McClain ranks No. 2 in points (2,195), rebounds (1,193), blocked shots (290) and field goals made (873); No. 1 in both free throws made (449) and free throws attempted (616); and No. 7 in field goals attempted (1,407).

Following her collegiate career, McClain was a starter for the U.S. Olympic Teams in 1988, 1992 and 1996. In 1988, McClain led the U.S. team in both scoring (17.6 ppg) and rebounding (10.4) en route to a bronze medal. In 1992, she averaged 11.4 points and 9.6 rebounds while helping the U.S. capture the gold medal. In 1996, McClain averaged 14.1 points and 8.3 rebounds and connected on an amazing 73.9 percent of her field goal attempts for the American team which won the gold medal.