Carolyn Peck, a native of Jefferson County who played college basketball at Vanderbilt, was inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame on April 29, along with four others.
On hand was Chad Brown, a man well-known to Central High School Bobcat fans. He posted the photo to his social media account.
Central’s vice principal and AD J.D. Lambert said, “Chad loves Central High. He is a friend to all our coaches, and he is always advocating for all our players and teams on social media. He has recently started picking up Aaron Kilgore and bringing him to baseball games. Central is lucky to have a friend like Chad.
“Chad has the true spirt of a BOBCAT.”
Carolyn Peck was chosen based on her record as a coach, primarily for her two-year career at Purdue University. Her first season record was 23–10, and in her second season, the team went 28-1 and won the national championship. She left after that year to become the first head coach and general manager for the new WNBA Orlando Miracle.
Only 33 in 1999, Peck became the first African American to coach a women’s Division I national championship basketball team. She was named Women’s Basketball Coach of the Year by the Associated Press and the U.S. Basketball Writers Association among other honors. She remains the youngest person to coach a women’s Division I national championship basketball team.
She is now a sports commentator for ESPN.
Other 2023 inductees were Cathy Boswell, veteran player; Donna Lopiano, contributor; Lisa Mattingly, official; and Lindsay Whalen, player.
