Salem-Keizer Duo among this year’s OSU Hall of Famers
Women’s hoopsters Deven Hunter of McNary, Katie McWilliams of South Salem honored as part of 2015-16 team
Former Oregon State women’s basketball players Deven Hunter of McNary and Katie McWilliams of South Salem are among the inductees into the Oregon State Hall of Fame for 2023.
The Hall of Fame list announced this week includes the 2015-2016 women’s team that Hunter and McWilliams played for that season. That edition of the Lady Beavs had a fairy tale season, winning the Pac-12 regular season, tying with Arizona State with identical records of 16-2. The Beavers also won the Conference Tournament, and advanced to the Women’s Final Four—where they lost in the semi-finals to eventual National Champion Connecticut.
Oregon State finished that season with a stellar record of 32-5, was ranked second in the national coaches’ poll and sixth in the AP survey, and gave the university national notoriety under the direction of then-sixth year coach Scott Rueck. Hunter was a 6-3 senior post for OSU, who averaged 6.2 points and 5.5 rebounds that year. She finished fourth in OSU career rebounds with 893 total.
McWilliams was a 6-2 freshman guard who had helped guide South Salem to a state title the previous year. McWilliams averaged 3.1 points per game that season, starting 11 times as a first-year player. The Beaver team of 2015-16 was led by the likes of Jamie Weisner—the Pac 12 Conference player of the year (16.8 ppg)—and Ruth Hamblin—the Conference defensive player of the year, who averaged 11.8 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 3.5 blocks a contest.
The women’s basketball squad is among a long list of stellar Beaver performers to be placed in the OSU Hall of Fame.
In addition to the women’s basketball team, the OSU softball team of 2006—which played in the College World Series—is also headed for the Hall.
Individual performers being honored include NFL all-pro running back Steven Jackson, NBA journeyman Brent Barry and long-time Beaver football coach Mike Riley—who had two stints with OSU and a school record of 93 wins in 14 seasons. Another six people are also being inducted: long time AD Bob DeCarolis, receiver Mike Hass, rowing champion Josh Inman, all-American gymnast Mandi Rodriguez, all-American volleyballer Rachel Rourke, and outstanding football place kicker Alexis Serna.
The actual date for enshrinement of this new class of Hall inductees will be announced later this summer.
Great to see our Salem athletes have success at the next level!