Cunningham gets the call from the Hall

We figure Friday's Hall of Fame induction is the first of many for VCU coach Beth Cunningham.

Cunningham will be inducted into the Monroe Country Sports Hall of Fame in her hometown of Bloomington, Ind. The former Notre Dame star, whose 148 career wins are the most of any coach at VCU, is part of an inaugural class of 15 inductees, including seven Olympians.

"When you think of all the quality athletes and coaches who have come through Monroe County, it's quite an honor that someone thinks highly enough of me to include me in the inaugural class," Cunningham said. "Playing sports was such a big part of my life and had so much influence on me when I was growing up. When something like this happens, years later, and you realize that maybe somewhere along the line you've done something to cause those people to remember you, it's just a very, very nice feeling."

Beth Morgan

Cunningham is a legend of sorts in her hometown having finished her high school basketball career at Bloomington South as the school's all-time leading scorer while garnering all-state honors in both basketball and tennis. She holds the career scoring record at Notre Dame (2,322 points) and was part of three NCAA Tournament teams, including 1997 (her Irish team lost to Tennessee in the national semifinals; the Lady Vols went on to beat ODU. Lady Monarch fans should remember the kid with all that hair, who was Beth Morgan then.)

Cunningham was instrumental in the Irish's rise to their current status as one of the nation's elite programs. She averaged better than 18 points per game during her four seasons, earned four All-America honors, and still holds the school's career scoring record (2,322 points). Cunningham was part of three NCAA Tournament squads including the program's first-ever Final Four in 1997.