SAN MATEO, Calif. – The West Coast Conference is slated to induct its 13th Hall of Honor class on Saturday, March 4, at the Orleans Hotel in Las Vegas. Ten individuals, one from each member institution, will be recognized in a special ceremony as part of the 2023 University Credit Union West Coast Conference Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournament. 
 
The 2023 WCC Hall of Honor class includes BYU’s Amy Boswell Usevitch (women’s volleyball), Gonzaga’s Stephanie Hawk Freeman (women’s basketball), LMU’s Sam Fischer (softball), Pacific's Cindy Ball-Malone (softball), Pepperdine’s Julie Evans Castillo (women’s volleyball), Portland’s Lorena Legarde (women’s basketball), Saint Mary’s Louella Tomlinson (women’s basketball), San Diego’s Sherri Stephens (women’s tennis), San Francisco’s Brittanie Andreja Budinger (women’s volleyball) and Santa Clara’s Danielle Slaton (women’s soccer). 
 
Amy Boswell Usevitch, BYU
One of the most accomplished women’s volleyball players in school history, Amy Boswell Usevitch helped continue BYU’s storied history during her time in Provo (2012-16). After a redshirt campaign to begin her career, Boswell led the Cougars to three NCAA Sweet 16 berths (2013, 2015-16) and a finals appearance in 2014. Along the way, BYU captured three WCC titles (2014-16) and posted four top-13 finishes, including a No. 3 ranking in 2014. Individually, Boswell earned All-America honors in 2014-16, garnering first-team recognition as a senior, and was a two-time all-WCC first-team selection (2015-16). The 2015 WCC Defensive Player of the Year was also a standout in the classroom, collecting the 2016 CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year Award and twice being named to the CoSIDA Academic All-America First Team (2015-16). Boswell was also the recipient of the 2014 NCAA Elite 89 Award and named the 2016-17 WCC Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
 
Stephanie Hawk Freeman, Gonzaga 
Stephanie Hawk Freeman helped jumpstart Gonzaga’s current unprecedented run of success in women’s basketball during her time in Spokane. Prior to her arrival, the Bulldogs had one WCC title and one NCAA/WNIT appearance to their name. When she departed, Gonzaga had advanced to a pair of WNITs (2004 first round, 2005 second round), earned a berth in the 2007 NCAA Tournament, won three consecutive WCC Championships (2005-07) and tied the school record with 28 victories in 2004-05. Over the course of her career, she was a 2007 Associated Press Honorable Mention All-American, the 2007 WCC Player of the Year, a two-time all-WCC first-team and all-academic team selection (2006-07), and a 2007 CoSIDA Academic All-District choice. Finishing with 1,231 points, she entered the 2022-23 campaign ranked 16th all-time in scoring in the Gonzaga record book.
 
Sam Fischer, LMU
Sam Fischer left her mark on the softball program the moment she stepped foot on campus at LMU. A fixture on the left side of the infield playing primarily shortstop, Fischer finished her career in Los Angeles as the Lions’ first four-time first-team all-PCSC selection in school history and their first All-American in school history when she was recognized as a second-team choice by the NFCA following her senior campaign in 2012. That same season, Fischer hit .492, which ranked first among all Division I players. A two-time PCSC Coastal Division Player of the Year (2012, 2010), Fischer left LMU ranked first in the Lions’ record book in home runs (65), RBI (172), total bases (495), batting average (.387), slugging percentage (.786), on-base percentage (.494), runs scored (184), doubles (52) and walks (127).
 
Cindy Ball-Malone, Pacific
Cindy Ball-Malone finished her career as the greatest two-way player in Pacific program history and as one of the most dominant pitchers and hitters in conference history.  As a player, she was a two-time NFCA All-American in 2001 and 2002 and concluded her career as the program’s career leader in innings pitched (883.1), wins (91), saves (10), strikeouts (761), shutouts (46) and RBI (111). She was the Conference Pitcher of the Year in 2001 and 2002, Ball-Malone posted a 33-9 record as a junior and a 28-11 mark as a senior, and held the program's single-season records in wins (33), saves (six), strikeouts (291) and shutouts (18). Ball-Malone’s dominance in the circle and at the plate led the Tigers to a 50-win season in 2001, the most wins in a single season for any squad in Pacific softball history. She was named to the 2002 Verizon First-Team Academic All-America squad. 

Julie Evans Castillo, Pepperdine 
Julie Evans Castillo helped put WCC women’s volleyball on the map when the league began sponsoring the sport in 1985. Prior to that, Evans helped the Waves to a 24-win campaign, an NCAA Tournament appearance and a No. 17 final national ranking in 1984. The dominance continued as Evans led Pepperdine to the NCAAs in 1986 and 1987, WCC titles in 1985 and 1987 after going undefeated in both of those seasons, and two top-19 national rankings. Individually, Evans was a two-time WCC Player of the Year (1985, 1987), three-time first-team all-WCC pick (1985-87) and became the fourth All-American (second player) in school history (1987). She finished her career ranked first in career kills, kills per set, services aces, service aces per set, points and points per set before joining the Pepperdine coaching staff as a student assistant in 1988, helping the Waves win the WCC and reach the NCAA Tournament.
 
Lorena Legarde, Portland
Arguably the top women’s basketball player in Portland history, Lorena Legarde set the standard for Pilots Basketball. The center was a three-time NAIA first-team All-American (1983-85), two-time all-NAIA National Tournament first-team selection (1983-84) and two-time NAIA District 2 Player of the Year (1983-84). While collecting impressive individual accolades, Legarde simultaneously propelled the Pilots into the national conversation, leading the program to a third-place finish at the ’83 NAIA Tournament, a runner-up performance in 1984 and a quarterfinal berth her senior year in 1985. When the dust settled, Legarde led Portland to a 99-29 record (.773), with three of the four highest win totals in program history occurring during her stay in The Rose City. Individually, she ranks No. 1 in Portland history in points, points per game, rebounds, blocked shots, steals, field goals, field-goal percentage and free-throws made.
 
Louella Tomlinson, Saint Mary’s 
Considered today as one of the top shot blockers in NCAA history, Louella Tomlinson finished her storied four-year career at Saint Mary's with 663 blocked shots, shattering the previous record by 160 rejections. Currently ranked second in blocked shots behind Brittney Griner, Tomlinson was a dual threat in Moraga, completing her career as the Gaels’ all-time leading scorer. The back-to-back WCC Defensive Player of the Year in 2009 and 2010, Tomlinson led Saint Mary’s to the postseason as a junior and senior, with the 2010 WNIT berth representing the program’s first postseason appearance since 2002. SMC’s two WNIT invitations with Tomlinson leading the way jumpstarted a run of 10 straight postseason appearances for the Gaels.
 
Sherri Stephens, San Diego
The longest-tenured head coach in San Diego women’s tennis history, Sherri Stephens spent 38 years at the helm of the program, accumulating 444 victories, taking the Toreros to 14 NCAA Tournaments and guiding USD to a WCC title in 2012. She retired at the conclusion of the 2021-22 season, completing an illustrious coaching career at the helm of the USD program. Stephens was named the WCC Coach of the Year four times, coached the Toreros to a final top-25 ranking eight different times and had USD in contention for a conference crown nearly every season, finishing in the top-three 31 times with 19 runner-up performances. At the individual level, Stephens helped six athletes tally 13 total All-America honors, including Zuzana Lesenarova, who was a four-time All-American from 1997-2000, and the 1999 NCAA singles champion.
 
Brittanie Andreja Budinger, San Francisco
Regarded as the best player in San Francisco history, Brittanie Andreja Budinger left her mark on the program, helping it reach heights never seen on The Hilltop. Creating winning habits over the course of her first three seasons, the work paid off in 2003 -- her senior campaign -- as the Dons set the program record with 23 victories, recorded its most WCC wins since 1988, and reached the NCAA Tournament for the first time. The first player in team history to surpass 500 kills in a single season (2002), Budinger capped her San Francisco career as the all-time leader in kills, while ranking second in digs. For her program-changing efforts, Budinger collected 2003 all-Pacific Region Honorable Mention accolades, was named a 2003 All-WCC first-team selection, and became the first volleyball player (ninth USF student-athlete overall) to have their number retired.
 
Danielle Slaton, Santa Clara 
One of the top players to ever compete in the WCC women's soccer, Danielle Slaton helped Santa Clara capture the program’s first NCAA title as a senior in 2001. Building to that moment, the defender checked nearly every box upon arriving on campus. As a freshman, Slaton provided a glimpse into what was in store as she was named the WCC Freshman of the Year, collected third-team All-America honors and named to the College Cup All-Tournament Team after SCU reached the national semifinals. Another NCAA semifinal appearance came in 1999 and was followed by a quarterfinals appearance in 2000, before the Broncos lifted the ultimate prize in 2001. In the end, Slaton finished her career as the program’s first four-time All-American and first three-time first-team All-American (1999-2001). For her off-the-field accomplishments, she was named the 2001 NSCAA and Arthur Ashe Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year, as well as the 2002 WCC Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

The 2023 WCC Hall of Honor event returns after a two-year hiatus. The Conference did not host a Hall of Honor event in conjunction with the UCU WCC Men's and Women's Basketball Tournamentand or recognize a class of honorees in 2021 or 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. For a full list of WCC Hall of Honor inductees click here.