SOUTHINGTON โ The 35th annual Connecticut Women's Basketball Hall of Fame induction was held Sunday at the AquaTurf Club in Southington, Conn., bringing together former players, coaches, referees and journalists to celebrate this year's class.
The Connecticut Women's Basketball Hall of Fame has seven members inducted, including Bristol native Stacey Pollini Clingan, who was inducted posthumously. She passed away on March 27, 2018 after a long battle with breast cancer, but she left a lasting legacy.
The other six members inducted into the Hall of Fame included Kathy Coleman, Larry Sabo, Vicki Fulkerson, David Danko, Paula Fitzgerald, and Tracy Stoll.
Ms. Clingan's college coach, former University of Maine head coach Joanne P. McCurry, better known as “Coach P,” accepted the award on her behalf. Clingan's son, Donovan, will not be able to return home and be inducted into the Hall of Fame because he is preparing for the NBA Draft, and her daughter, Olivia, is in the midst of her final year.
McCurry said she was honored to receive Clingan's award and spoke about her impact on the University of Maine and her hometown of Bristol in her commencement speech.
“I'm honored beyond words,” McCurry said. “Donovan was going to be here. He's caught up with the NBA and Olivia is in the finals at Clemson. Debbie as a mother, that would have been really tough, and so was her husband Bill, , I've known them for a long time, ironically 32 years.
Clingan was a three-sport athlete at Bristol Central High School. She excelled in track and field, swimming, and basketball. During her senior season of basketball, she averaged 17 points, 21 rebounds, and 6 blocks per game and was on her way to setting her school record in rebounds (1,032 shots, blocked shots (273)) . Both of these records would be broken by her. Her son Donovan was inducted into the Bristol Sports Hall of Fame in 2016.
Clingan was scouted by McCulley. McCurry visited his family at home during the 26-year-old's first year as head coach. In fact, it was McCurry's first home visit as head coach at the University of Maine. McCurry was impressed with Clingan's swimming and athletic ability.
After a stellar career at Bristol Central, Clingan played for the University of Maine Black Bears from 1993 to 1997 under Coach McCulley. The 6-foot-4 center finished his college career with 1,128 points and 929 rebounds, leading the University of Maine to three NCAA Tournament appearances for the first time in school history. She also helped Maine earn its only win in program history against an undefeated top 10 team.
โShe was an enforcer in the paint, both defensively and offensively,โ McCurry said. “Most importantly, she was a captain, a leader and a great communicator. She was a great teammate and captain and had an impact on the court from the beginning. โ
Clingan will be inducted into the University of Maine Sports Hall of Fame in 2023.
Clingan's son Donovan had a stellar career at Bristol Central High School, where he was a member of the University Huskies' basketball program that won two titles in the past two seasons. He decided to enter the NBA Draft on April 12th.
As Donovan prepares for the NBA Draft, which will be held June 26-27 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, Donovan will wear No. 32 in honor of his mother.
McCurry said it was great to see Donovan wear his mother's jersey number to continue her mother's legacy.
“That's a beautiful thing. When Donovan was inducted into the Maine State Hall of Fame, I joked that your mother was the first executor in the paint,” McCurry said. “Surprisingly, they run similarly and have similar mannerisms on the court. I was really happy to watch Donovan's career.”