SANTA CLARA, Calif. – The West Coast Conference will induct its sixth annual Hall of Honor class on Saturday, March 8 at the Orleans Hotel in Las Vegas, Nev. Ten individuals, one from each member institution, will be honored as part of the 2014 West Coast Conference Men's and Women's Basketball Championships from March 6-11 at the Orleans Arena.
"This year we welcome yet another remarkable group of inductees into the West Coast Conference Hall of Honor," WCC Commissioner Jamie Zaninovich said. "These 10 individuals are some of the best and brightest to ever represent our conference and their respective institutions. The Hall of Honor celebration will once again serve as one of the highlights of what promises to be another highly competitive West Coast Conference Basketball Championship."
The 2014 WCC Hall of Honor class includes: BYU's Ed Eyestone (Cross Country), Gonzaga's Kelley Cunningham Spink (Volleyball), Loyola Marymount's Jeff Fryer (Basketball), Pacific's Keith Swagerty (Basketball), Pepperdine's Mike Scott (Baseball), Portland's Laura Sale O'Connell (Basketball), Saint Mary's Tracy Morris Sanders (Basketball), San Diego's Jose Luis Noriega (Tennis), San Francisco's Ollie Johnson (Basketball) and Santa Clara's Leslie Osborne (Soccer).
The Hall of Honor class will be formally inducted at the WCC Hall of Honor Brunch on Saturday, March 8 at 9 a.m. PT at the Mardi Gras Ballroom in the Orleans Hotel and will be honored during halftime of the men's semifinal games later that evening.
Tickets to the WCC Hall of Honor Brunch & Induction Ceremony are available to the public for $40 and may be purchased online using the Hall of Honor Ticket Form on WCCsports.com. Tickets must be purchased by Thursday, February 28.
Single game tickets for the 2014 West Coast Conference Men's and Women's Basketball Championships will also be on sale at the Orleans Arena box office each morning. For more information on the tournament and where to stay, click here.
"We are proud to be inducting Leslie Osborne into the WCC Hall of Honor," said Santa Clara Athletic Director Dan Coonan. "Leslie distinguished herself from the moment she first set foot on campus. From her role on the national championship team that first year, to her back to back WCC Player of the Year honors culminating in another College Cup appearance her senior year as captain, to the way she so unabashedly loves Santa Clara and everything it stands for, Leslie is very deserving of this unique and special honor. We are proud to be associated with her."
"I am so excited to be part of the WCC Hall of Honor," said Osborne. "It's an incredible feeling to be honored as a top athlete in such a top notch conference. My experience at Santa Clara, both as an athlete and student, are some of the best memories of my life. I feel very grateful to represent such an outstanding school and program. Thank you to everyone who has supported and helped me along the way. It was at Santa Clara where I was encouraged and inspired to be the best athlete and person I can achieve to be. I can't wait to meet the other amazing inductees and have a weekend together celebrating the WCC and it's achievements."
A four-year standout for the Broncos from 2001-2004, Santa Clara's Leslie Osborne is one of the most decorated women's soccer players in school history. A member of Santa Clara's 2001 National Championship team, Osborne was a three-time All-American and was the recipient of the 2004 Honda Sports Award for soccer, which is given annually to the nation's premier female player.
Contributing to a women's soccer program rich in achievement, Osborne currently sits sixth on Santa Clara's all-time goals list with 44 and ranks ninth in assists with 33. Named to the 2001 and 2004 College Cup All-Tournament teams, Osborne won back-to-back West Coast Conference Player of the Year awards in 2003 and 2004 and was also tabbed as the WCC's Defender of the Year for the 2004 season.
Appearing in 62 games for the United States senior national team, Osborne earned her first USA national team appearance in 2004 vs. Sweden and scored her first national team goal vs. Chinese Taipei on October 1, 2006. Osborne also started five of six games in the 2007 Women's World Cup in which the USA team placed third.
Osborne began her professional soccer career as team captain of the Bay Area FC Gold Pride in 2009. In 2010, she was team captain with the Boston Breakers, and in 2013 she joined the Chicago Red Stars as team captain in the inaugural season of the National Women's Soccer League.
