SEC announces 2024 Women’s Legends Class

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (February 13, 2024) – The Southeastern Conference on Tuesday announced its 2024 SEC Women’s Legends class presented by T-Mobile, an assemblage of former standouts who will be honored at the SEC Women’s Basketball Tournament in March.

Each legend will be recognized during half-time of their teams first game of the tournament, as well as a group introduction at halftime of the second semifinal game on Saturday.

The 2024 SEC Women’s Legends class showcases former student-athletes and coaches from all 14 SEC member institutions. The women’s legends program began in 2001 with classes chosen every year except for 2021 and 2022.

T-Mobile is an official sponsor of the SEC.

Below is the list and biographies of the 2024 SEC Women’s Legends:

• Dee Foster, Alabama, Gymnastics (1990-93)
• Krystal Osborne, Arkansas, Volleyball (1994-97)
• DeWanna Bonner, Auburn, Basketball (2006-09)
• Kiara Smith, Florida, Basketball (2018-22)
• Ashley Houts, Georgia, Basketball (2006-10)
• Molly Johnson-Belcher, Kentucky, Softball (2007-10)
• Theresa Plaisance, LSU, Basketball (2010-14)
• Ali Weisz, Ole Miss, Rifle (2013-17)
• Tan White, Mississippi State, Basketball (1997-2001)
• Bri Kulas, Missouri, Basketball (2012-14)
• Blakely Mattern, South Carolina, Soccer (2006-09)
• Monica Abbott, Tennessee, Softball (2004-07)
• Jessica Beard, Texas A&M, Track & Field (2008-11)
• Christina Foggie, Vanderbilt, Basketball (2011-14)

Dee Foster, Alabama, Gymnastics (1990-93)

Dee Foster’s gymnastics career at Alabama was unsurpassed. She became a 17-time All-American, a four-time SEC champion and a nine-time NCAA Regional champion. She was the program’s first African American gymnast and the first ever rookie to win SEC Female Athlete of the Year. She was also the first Alabama gymnast to score a perfect 10. As a senior in 1993, she set an NCAA record with perfect 10’s in five consecutive meets. An NCAA All-Around champion, she set the NCAA record for the most first team Championship All-America honors in a career, at 17. At the time of her graduation, she was the only NCAA gymnast to finish in the top three in All-Around for four straight years. During her time at Alabama, she won awards as SEC Freshman of the Year and NCAA Gymnast of the Year and was nominated for NCAA Female Athlete of the Year.

Krystal Osborne, Arkansas, Volleyball (1994-97)

As a member of Arkansas’ first-ever volleyball team in 1994, Osborne was part of establishing a championship tradition from 1994-97. In that span, Arkansas compiled a 100-49 overall record, advanced to three SEC championship matches and made its first trip to the NCAA Tournament during the 1996 season. Osborne’s career numbers may never be challenged in the modern volleyball era. Playing in the side out format, she tallied a program-best 2,185 career kills, ranking first at Arkansas, second all-time in the SEC and, more than 25 years later, her name remains sprinkled throughout both the conference and NCAA record books. She is one of only two Razorbacks to record more than 2,000 career kills and she ranks third for career digs with 1,659. She is also third on the program career digs list with 1,659 digs to her credit. She was the first Razorback volleyball player to earn All-SEC First Team honors and was selected to the AVCA All-District Team in 1994. She went on to earn three All-SEC honors and added SEC Tournament MVP to her resume in 1997, leading the Razorbacks to a three-set upset win over fourth-ranked Florida in the SEC Championship.

DeWanna Bonner, Auburn, Basketball (2006-09)

The 2009 SEC Women’s Basketball Player of the Year and two-time All-American, DeWanna Bonner finished her Auburn career with 2,162 points to sit atop the all-time scoring list for the Tigers. She is also third in Auburn history with 1,047 rebounds, seventh in blocks with 139, first in free throws (600) and free throw attempts (755), and fourth in scoring average (17.2 points/game). Bonner was a three-time selection to the All-SEC First Team in 2007, 2008 and 2009, and an All-Defensive Team pick in 2009. Her 716 points scored in 2009 were the most in a single season in Auburn history. Following her senior year, she was selected fifth overall in the 2009 WNBA Draft by the Phoenix Mercury. A 14-year WNBA veteran, Bonner has climbed the record books at the professional level as well. Through the end of the 2023 season, Bonner is sixth all-time in the WNBA in scoring with 6,881 career points. She is 10th in career rebounds (2,829), third in free throws made (1,744), 13th in steals (556), and 10th in career games played (462). She has been named a WNBA All-Star five times, an All-WNBA selection twice, a three-time selection as Sixth Woman of the Year and won the WNBA championship with Phoenix twice in 2009 and 2014.

Kiara Smith, Florida, Basketball (2018-22)

Kiara “KiKi” Smith became the first player in program history to lead Florida in scoring (490), rebounding (173), and assists (95) in a single season. She finished her career with a combined 1,508 points to put her in the top 15 all-time scorers at Florida (12th), while also landing fourth in assists (438) and fifth in steals with 220. Smith had 106 consecutive starts as a Gator, the third most in program history and totaled 3,985 minutes on the court as a Florida Gator, also the third most accrued minutes in program history. She finished her collegiate career with 535 field goals and 98 three-pointers. She was named All-SEC First Team and to the SEC All-Defensive Team her final season with the Gators. Smith became the first Gator to be drafted into the WNBA since 2017 after being selected by the Connecticut Sun with the 36th pick in the 2022 draft.

Ashley Houts, Georgia, Basketball (2006-10)

Ashley Houts played collegiately at Georgia from 2006-10 where she started 130 career games and led the Bulldogs to four NCAA Tournaments. For her career, she totaled 1,514 points, 565 assists, 319 steals and 398 rebounds. As a senior, Houts earned All-SEC First Team honors and All-America selections from two publications, while being tabbed second-team all-conference as a junior and sophomore. The Georgia native was also named SEC Freshman of the Year in 2007. Following her collegiate career, Houts was drafted 16th overall by the New York Liberty in the 2010 WNBA Draft. She played the 2010 season with the Washington Mystics and played overseas through the 2016-17 season in Israel, France, and Spain. She also represented the United States internationally at the 2007 U21 World Championships and the 2009 World University Games.

Molly Johnson-Belcher, Kentucky, Softball (2007-10)

Molly Johnson-Belcher played at Kentucky from 2007-2010, holding numerous school records, appearing in multiple Team USA competitions, and guiding Kentucky to its first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance in 2009. She currently is in her 14th season as Kentucky’s assistant coach, where she mans first base for the Wildcats and oversees the UK outfield development. In 2010, she was the No. 2 overall pick in the National Pro Fastpitch Draft, where she left UK as its all-time hits leader and was named the program’s first-ever NFCA All-American just weeks later. She currently ranks inside the top 10 at Kentucky in hits, batting average, runs scored, doubles, home runs, at bats, slugging percentage, total bases, stolen bases, and fielding percentage. The All-American shortstop also had a bevy of SEC accomplishments, winning All-SEC honors in all four years as a Wildcat. She was voted All-Freshman in 2007, All-SEC Second Team in 2008 and First Team in 2009 and 2010. She was also a member of the All-Defensive Team in 2010 and made the SEC All-Tournament Team in 2009, her junior campaign.

Theresa Plaisance, LSU, Basketball (2010-14)

Theresa Plaisance was a versatile forward at LSU from 2010-14. During her LSU career, she scored 1,293 points (No. 23 in LSU history), grabbed 637 rebounds (No. 18 in LSU history), and had 147 blocks (No. 5 in LSU history). Plaisance produced 65 double-figure scoring games, 18 double-figure rebound contests and 17 double-doubles. After averaging 2.5 points per game as a sophomore, she led the SEC in scoring (17.0 ppg) during her junior campaign and ranked No. 4 in the conference with 8.3 rebounds per game to go with 85 blocks, earning honorable mention WBCA All-America. In her senior season, Plaisance produced 15.3 points, 7.9 rebounds, 1.4 blocks and 1.0 steals per game, becoming the first Tiger since Sylvia Fowles to average 15+ points and 7+ rebounds per game. She is tied for the LSU single-game block record with nine. She was a two-time All-SEC First Team honoree and helped LSU reach the NCAA Tournament in each of her final three seasons, including Sweet 16 runs in 2013 and 2014. Plaisance went on to be selected in the 2014 WNBA Draft by the Tulsa Shock with the 27th overall pick in the third round. In 2022, she won a WNBA Championship and a Commissioner’s Cup with the Las Vegas Aces.

Ali Weisz, Ole Miss, Rifle (2013-17)

Two-time All-American Ali Weisz competed all four years as an individual qualifier at the NCAA Championships. In 2014, Weisz became the first freshman in program history to qualify for the NCAA Championships and competed in air rifle, finishing 16th out of 48 shooters with a 587. She qualified for smallbore as a sophomore in 2015. As a junior, Weisz qualified for the NCAAs once again in air rifle and went on to finish third, earning a bronze medal with a 593. An active-duty member of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit since 2020, Weisz posted her first international victory at the 2019 Pan American Games, and two years later, she had a solid showing in the Tokyo Olympics. She won the women’s 10-meter air rifle event at the 2022 ISSF World, becoming the first U.S. woman to win an individual world title in a rifle event since 1979. She also secured the United States a spot in the 2024 Summer Olympic in Paris.

Tan White, Mississippi State, Basketball (1997-2001)

Tan White was the second player in program history to earn a First-Team All-American selection after she was named a 2005 WBCA First-Team All-American. She was also voted a 2005 Associated Press Second Team All-American and 2002 Freshman All-American by Basketball Times. White remains the third-leading scorer in program history with 2,421 points behind former teammate and 2010 SEC Women’s Basketball Legends honoree Latoya Thomas and Victoria Vivians. She was also a part of the program’s first two NCAA Tournament appearances in 1999 and 2000 and the program’s first NCAA Tournament win in 2000. She was a four-time All-SEC honoree and was selected to the First Team over her final three seasons. She became just the second Lady Bulldog to reach the 2,000-point plateau and shattered the SEC record with 372 career steals, a mark that ranks third in conference history today. White was drafted No. 2 overall by the Indiana Fever in the 2005 WNBA Draft and played in 114 consecutive WNBA games, third-most in league history. She was named to the WNBA All-Rookie Team in 2005.

Bri Kulas, Missouri, Basketball (2012-14)

Bri Kulas was a first-team All-SEC selection by the league’s coaches and earned second-team All-SEC honors from the Associated Press her senior season. She averaged 18.3 points per game as a senior, which ranked second in the conference. As a junior, Kulas was a second-team All-SEC honoree after registering 13.8 points per game, which ranked ninth among SEC players. She led the Tigers in scoring, rebounding, made field goals, made free throws and minutes played. In her two seasons with the Tigers, Kulas scored 1,004 points. In Missouri’s all-time career records, she is ranked seventh with 16.0 points per game and ranked ninth with a 78.6 percent free throw percentage. The San Antonio Stars selected her with the 28th pick in the 2014 WNBA Draft. Kulas also played professionally in Spain for Gran Canaries and Rivas and in Germany for Halle Lions.

Blakely Mattern, South Carolina, Soccer (2006-09)

Blakely Mattern was a starting defender in 92 matches in her career and became the program’s first All-American when she drew the honor from Soccer Buzz in 2007 and from United Soccer Coaches in 2009. The three-time All-Region and four-time All-SEC selection was the 2007 SEC Defensive Player of the Year and the 2009 SEC Women’s Soccer Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Mattern helped the Gamecocks win their first SEC Championship in 2009 and led the team to the NCAA Tournament each of her final three seasons, including the Gamecocks’ first Sweet 16 berth in program history. Off the pitch, Mattern excelled in the classroom in South Carolina’s international business program, becoming a two-time Academic All-American and three-time Academic All-District selection. After her college career wrapped up, Mattern was the 21st overall selection by the Atlanta Beat on the Women’s Professional Soccer League in the spring of 2010. She also played professionally in the Netherlands and Sweden.

Monica Abbott, Tennessee, Softball (2004-07)

One of the most decorated players in the history of college softball, Monica Abbott threw an astonishing 23 no-hitters and six perfect games during her Tennessee career and led the Lady Vols to three consecutive Women’s College World Series appearances (2005-07), with a runner-up finish in 2007. Through four stellar seasons at Tennessee, she posted an incredible 189-34 record, a 0.79 ERA, 112 shutouts, 2,440 strikeouts and 125 games with 10 or more strikeouts. Abbott still stands as the NCAA all-time leader in wins, strikeouts, shutouts, and appearances. The 2007 USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Year, Abbott was the first pitcher in NCAA Division I history to record 500 strikeouts in four different seasons. She also led the NCAA in victories from 2004-07. Abbott is a two-time Olympian with Team USA and a three-time World Champion. She was inducted into the Tennessee Athletics Hall of Fame in 2017 and was the first Tennessee softball player to have her jersey retired on March 23, 2013.

Jessica Beard, Texas A&M, Track & Field (2008-11)

Jessica Beard was a four-year letter winner and helped the team win three straight NCAA Outdoor National Championships (2009-11). She was the 2011 Bowerman Award winner, the top honor in collegiate track & field that is considered the Heisman Trophy of its sport. A 16-time All-American, Beard swept the 2011 NCAA Indoor and Outdoor 400-meter titles and was part of four Aggie relay squads that won NCAA Championships. She was the Big 12 Indoor Athlete of the Year in 2011 as well as the high-point scorer at the conference championships. Beard helped the Aggies win four consecutive Big 12 outdoor titles and three straight Big 12 indoor crowns. Professionally, she is a well-decorated athlete for USA Track & Field, winning gold at the 2009 Berlin (4x400m), 2011 Daegu (4x400m), 2013 Moscow (4x400m) and 2019 Doha (4x400m, 4x400m mixed) World Championships. The five-time gold medalist also brought home silver in the 4x400m at the 2015 Worlds. Beard earned silver at the 2022 USATF indoor (400m), 2018 outdoor (400m) and 2015 indoor (300m) championships.

Christina Foggie, Vanderbilt, Basketball (2011-14)

One of the most decorated women’s basketball players in Vanderbilt history, Christina Foggie stands as Vanderbilt’s seventh-leading scorer with 1,743. Her eight three-point field goals against Virginia in 2012 tied the school game record and still ranks second on the list. She led the team in scoring both as a sophomore and senior. As a senior, she was named a WBCA All-American Honorable Mention after leading the SEC in scoring with 19 points per game. For her efforts, she was also named first-team All-SEC by the coaches (2012) and the media (2012 and 2014). She was part of Commodore teams that made NCAA Tournament appearances each of her four seasons and helped Vandy to three 20-win seasons. Holding Vanderbilt’s record for 3-pointers (276), Foggie was selected 24th overall by the Minnesota Lynx in the 2014 WNBA Draft. She has held the position of women’s basketball Chief of Staff at Vanderbilt since 2021.