Men's Basketball | January 15, 2015

NEWPORT NEWS, Va.— Former La Salle basketball standouts Larry Cannon and Linda Hester have been named Atlantic 10 Legends, it was announced today. The pair will be recognized during the A-10 Men's and Women's Basketball Championships this March.

"The Atlantic 10 is pleased to honor the 2015 Legends class and congratulate them on their accomplishments," stated A-10 Commissioner Bernadette V. McGlade. "Their contributions to the basketball legacy at their institutions helped lay the groundwork for establishing the Atlantic 10 as a premier basketball league. I congratulate each of them on their distinguished careers that have led to this great accolade."

The Women's Basketball Legends will be saluted with a breakfast on Friday, March 6 prior to the 2014 A-10 Women's Basketball Championship quarterfinals.  The event will take place at the Richmond Marriott beginning at 9:00 a.m.

The Men's Basketball Legends will be honored on March 14 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. prior to the 2015 Men's Basketball Championship semifinals.  The celebration awards brunch will be in the 40/40 Club, beginning at 11:00 a.m. prior to the A-10 men's semifinal games.

The Legends program was established in 2013 to recognize men's and women's basketball student-athletes and coaches who have made a lasting impact on their respective basketball programs and institutions. This year marks the third class the Atlantic 10 has inducted. Each year, A-10 member institutions selected their two Legends. Previous honorees have included Basketball Hall of Fame members, national champions, Olympians, and professional players.
 
The 2015 Men's Legends class boasts 12 former student-athletes and two coaches. Eight of the players went on to play professionally in either the NBA or ABA. The group also includes eight All-Americans, one National Newcomer of the Year and one Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame member (Frank Keany, Rhode Island). In addition, eight of the men's legends are also in their respective institutional athletics Hall of Fame.

The 2015 Women's Legends, all former student-athletes, led their teams to conference championships, NCAA Tournament selections and WNIT appearances.  The group includes two players that went on to play in the WNBA, three All-Americans, two Academic All-Americans and six players that are now in their institutional Hall of Fame.

A limited number of brunch tickets are available to the general public. For more information, please contact the Atlantic 10 Conference at 757-706-3041.

Larry Cannon
Larry Cannon was an All-American on one of La Salle's best teams, the 1968-69 Explorers that went 23-1 and finished the season ranked #2 in the nation. He averaged 19.1 ppg., 9.0 rpg. and 4.6 apg. for his career and he averaged 18.9 ppg. as a senior in 1968-69 and also led the team in assists (6.1 apg). Cannon fi nished his career as La Salle's fourth all-time leading scorer (1,430 points). He was the 1968 Co-MVP of the Middle Atlantic Conference and was Three-time All-MAC First Team and Three-time First Team All-Big 5. He helped lead La Salle to the 1968 NCAA Tournament and was the fi rst La Salle player elected to Philadelphia Big 5 Hall of Fame in 1973. He was inducted into La Salle Hall of Athletes in 1977. Cannon was the fi fth overall selection in 1969 NBA Draft by Chicago and in the fi rst round of the 1969 ABA Draft by the Miami Floridians. He played five seasons professionally, including four in the ABA with Miami, Denver, Memphis and Indiana. He Earned ABA All-Pro honors in 1971 after leading Denver in scoring at 26.6 ppg. For his career, he averaged 17.7 ppg. He also played the 1973-74 season in the NBA with the Philadelphia 76ers. 

Linda Hester
Linda Hester is the fifth-highest scoring player in La Salle women's basketball history, amassing 1,490 career points from 1982-86. She averaged 13.8 points per game in her four seasons, including 18.8 ppg to lead the Explorers to their second-ever NCAA Tournament appearance in her senior season. Hester owns the top two spots on La Salle's record list for fi eld goals made in a single season, and ranks second in program history with 629 made shots. In addition, Hester hit 73.2 percent
of her free throws and amassed 143 career steals. She was a candidate for the USA team competing in the World University Games in 1985. Hester is a member of both the Philadelphia Big 5 Hall of Fame and the La Salle University Hall of Athletes.
 

2015 Atlantic 10 Men's Basketball Legends School Legend Years Attended/Coached Davidson Fred Hetzel 1962-65 Dayton Don May 1964-68 Duquesne Willie Somerset 1962-65 Fordham Charlie Yelverton 1968-71 George Mason Rob Rose 1982-86 George Washington Mike Brown 1981-85 La Salle Larry Cannon 1965-69 Massachusetts Lari Ketner* 1996-99 Rhode Island Frank Keaney* 1920-48 Richmond Dick Tarrant 1981-93 St. Bonaventure Larry Weise 1961-73 Saint Joseph's Rodney Blake 1984-88 Saint Louis Erwin Claggett 1991-95 VCU Calvin Duncan 1981-85   2015 Atlantic 10 Women's Basketball Legends School Legend Years Attended/Coached Davidson Jennifer O'Brien 1996-2000 Dayton Donna Burks 1981-85 Duquesne Korie Hlede 1994-98 Fordham Mary Hayes-Haas 1975-79 George Mason Jen Derevjanik 2000-04 George Washington Kimberly Beck 2004-08 La Salle Linda Hester 1982-86 Massachusetts Jennifer Butler-Roome 1999-03 Rhode Island Naomi Graves 1978-82 Richmond Laurie Governor Curtis 1984-88 St. Bonaventure Megan Van Tatenhove 2008-12 Saint Joseph's Katie Curry Gardler 1989-93 Saint Louis Arlene Lampe Torre 1982-86 VCU Jacinda Alston 1993-95

 
*Posthumously awarded