Western Carolina University

Jennifer Gardner (Women’s Basketball, 2001-05)
A four-year letter winner and a two-time All-Southern Conference selection, Gardner guided Western Carolina women’s basketball to a pair of SoCon championship game appearances. She spearheaded the school’s first Southern Conference Championship, setting six tournament records in leading WCU to the 2005 SoCon tournament title. Scored 106 points over four games including a single-game record 45 in a thrilling double-overtime win over Georgia Southern to earn Tournament MVP accolades – her second SoCon All-Tournament team nod. Gardner helped guide the Catamounts to their first-ever NCAA Division I Women’s basketball tournament appearance. Finishing with 1,362 career points and 890 career rebounds to join WCU’s 1,000-point/500-rebound club, Gardner was WCU’s first-ever five-time SoCon Player of the Week and was listed on the SoCon’s 100th Anniversary team in 2021.
Inducted in 2024