July 16, 2013
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UNIVERSITY PARK, PA. - Former Penn State Lady Lion Helen Darling was recently named to the 2014 Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame class and will be one of 15 individuals to be enshrined next May.
Darling starred at Brookhaven High School and led her team to the 1995 State Championship before coming to Penn State where she became one of four players in school history to take home WBCA first team All-America honors. As a senior, Darling guided the Lady Lions to the 2000 Final Four and collected USA Today National Co-Player of the Year honors to go along with Big Ten Player of the Year accolades. She led the NCAA in assists during the 1999-00 campaign, dishing out 7.83 helpers per outing.
The two-time All-Big Ten first team selection completed her career with 1,294 points, 672 rebounds, 791 assists and 314 steals. Darling is the only player in school history with 1,000 points, 600 rebounds and 700 assists. She ranks third in school history in steals (314) and assists (791).
After a successful collegiate career, Darling was drafted by the Cleveland Rockers in the 2000 WNBA Draft. She played for 10 years in the WNBA with the Rockers, Minnesota Lynx, Charlotte Sting and San Antonio SilverStars. She tallied 1,307 points, 886 assists and 344 steals in her 10-year career. Darling, who missed the 2002 WNBA season after having triplets, has authored seven children's books about a mother and her triplets.
In addition to Darling, former players Dean Chance, Henry Finkel, Dennis Hopson, D'Artis Jones, Campy Russell, Georgia Schweitzer Beasley and Nick Weatherspoon, college administrator Helen Ludwig, official Joe Pangrazio and coaches Brian Agler, Vince Chickerella, Walter Harrop, Ed Jucker and Jerry Scheve will be inducted to the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame. There will also be two teams enshrined next May in the 1983 Wright State University team that won the NCAA Men's Division II national champions and the Wilmington College women's team that won the 2004 NCAA Division III national title.
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