West, Elmore to be honored at WVU fete
http://www.wvgazette.com/section/Sports/2006092046
September 21, 2006
Jerry West, the NBA legend from Chelyan, and Sandra Elmore, head of the physical education department of WVU Tech, are two of four people who will be honored during the West Virginia University School of Physical Education Hall of Fame induction ceremony on Sept. 29.
The others are longtime WVU tennis women's coach Martha Thorn and Peggy Bahnsen, former professor of military science at WVU. The formal induction ceremony is set for 7:30 p.m. at the Erickson Alumni Center in Morgantown.
Elmore and Thorn will be inducted in the School of PE's Hall of Fame, while Bahnsen and West will be recognized with the Outstanding Alumni award.
# West, a 1960 graduate of WVU's School of Physical Education, led the Mountaineers to the 1959 NCAA basketball tournament championship game and was a consensus All-America selection. He then starred in the NBA, leading the Los Angeles Lakers to the 1972 title and being selected to play in the All-Star Game 13 times.
Later, West served as coach and then general manager of the Lakers. Currently, he holds the title of president of basketball operation with the NBA's Memphis Grizzlies. His number 44 was retired by WVU last year.
# Elmore has spent more than 28 years as a college professor after first coaching high school basketball, track and tennis at Ravenswood and Clay County. She also served as assistant women's basketball coach at WVU and head women's coach at Potomac State. At Tech, Elmore became the first female in the state to serve as athletic director at a West Virginia Conference school that played football.
She was instrumental in developing the Athletic Coaching Education program, one of the fastest-growing programs at WVU Tech. Elmore has also served on many committees and special assignments, focusing most on Title IX, athletic scholarship awards and head coaching position search committees.
# Thorn served as women's tennis coach at WVU from 1973-2000. She received several awards during her tenure, including Atlantic 10 coach of the year and Outstanding Teacher in Physical Education. She has also served as director of the West Virginia State High School Tennis Tournament and Tennis Rules Committee.
# Bahnsen, who served in the U.S. Army, has received numerous honors and recognition, including the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Meritorious Service Medal and Outstanding Young Woman in America. She returned to WVU in 1995, where she held the title of Professor of Military Science, the school
