SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – Former Immaculata women's basketball coach Cathy Rush has joined an exclusive club of celebrated coaches with today's announcement that she has been selected for induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Rush was introduced with the hall of fame Class of 2008 at a noon (EST) press conference in San Antonio, Texas, the site of the NCAA Men's Final Four.

Rush is joined by NBA standouts Hakeem Olajuwon, Patrick Ewing, Adrian Dantley, NBA coaching legend Pat Riley, television broadcaster Dick Vitale and Detroit Pistons and Shock owner Bill Davidson as members of the 2008 Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame Class.

Prior to Rush's induction, there were 80 coaches and 281 individual members overall. Rush becomes just the ninth women's basketball coach to be selected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Other notable female women's basketball mentors include former Texas coach Jody Conradt, former LSU coach Sue Gunter, former UCLA coach Billie Moore, Tennessee coach Pat Summit, former Delta State coach Margaret Wade and NC State coach Kay Yow. Connecticut coach Geno Auriemma and LSU coach Val Chancellor are the other women's basketball coaches in the Hall.

Rush, a pioneer in women's basketball and an advocate for women's sports, led Immaculata University to three consecutive AIAW national championships from 1972 to 1974. She propelled Immaculata, and women's basketball, into the national spotlight when the Mighty Macs appeared on national television in 1975, a first for women's basketball.

Rush won 149 games in only seven season and lost only 15, good for a .908 winning percentage. She made six consecutive appearances in the AIAW Final Four (1972-1977) and for her accomplishments was enshrined into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2000.

To be enshrined, a finalist must garner a minimum of 18 votes from the 24-member Honors Committee.

The induction ceremony for the Class of 2008 will be part of Enshrinement Weekend events scheduled for September 4-6, 2008 in Springfield, Mass., the home of the Hall of Fame.