2022 Inductees

Jennifer Rizzotti is a Connecticut native and the current President of the Connecticut Sun in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). She joined the Sun after five seasons as the Head Women’s Basketball Coach at George Washington University and 11 seasons as Head Coach of the University of Hartford Women’s Basketball program, where she compiled a 316-216 (.594) record and was named America East Coach of the Year three times. Inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013, Rizzotti is well-known in basketball circles around the world, most notably as an assistant coach to the USA Basketball Women’s National Team, with whom she won a gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

As a student of the University of Connecticut, Rizzotti first vaulted into the national spotlight as the starting point guard for the Huskies' first national championship team in 1995 with an undefeated 35-0 record. A former All-American and the NCAA Regional Most Outstanding Player after her junior and senior seasons, in 1996 Rizzotti virtually swept the postseason awards as Big East Player of the Year, Big East Scholar-Athlete of the Year, the Associated Press Player of the Year, the Honda-Broderick Cup for Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year, the Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award recipient, and the Wade Trophy winner. Rizzotti graduated as UConn's career leader in assists (637) and steals (349) and still ranks third all-time in those categories. Rizzotti played eight seasons of professional basketball following her graduation from UConn in 1996. Rizzotti and her husband, Bill Sullivan, have two sons, Holden and Conor.

Lhakpa Sherpa, the middle child of 11 children, is not only the first Nepali woman to successfully summit Mt. Everest, but the first woman to successfully summit the world’s highest mountain ten times, beating her own world record again this year for most Everest summits a woman has ever made.   In 2016, she was listed as one of the BBC's 100 Women.   Her interest in climbing began at a very young age, where she would often join her father on his expeditions as a porter in the Makalu region in the Nepalese Himalayas. Her mother discouraged this behavior, calling her a “tomboy” and claiming that she would never get married. Lhakpa’s passion for the mountain proved to be stronger than the social norms of the town she grew up in. Eventually, she summited Mt. Everest on May 18, 2000 - the first woman to do so successfully.

Once, however, was not enough. Lhakpa’s love and respect for nature and the mountain encouraged her to keep climbing each year, where she then met her then-husband, and relocated to Connecticut in 2002 where his business was located. For the past 18 years, the Nepali native has lived in West Hartford, where she spends her time working and training for her next summit. Lhakpa has climbed numerous other peaks throughout the Himalayas and she shares her knowledge and strength by serving as a guide for other climbers.

Recently, Lhakpa started her own guiding service, Cloudscape Climbing, which she operates in New England and the Himalayas. Lhakpa’s achievements have not only started a shift in Sherpa culture and inspired more women in Nepal and New England to climb, but have also marked her as a symbol of strength for women all over the world. Lhakpa’s courage and motivation are evident in her children:  her son, Nima, and two daughters, Sunny and Shiny. Shiny, while only 15 years old, has already conquered some difficult climbs. Speaking of her experience, Lhakpa says:  “I felt like I’d changed Sherpa culture, the status of Sherpa women and Nepali women.  I enjoyed being outside of my home and I wanted to share that feeling with all women.”  “I’ve had a challenging life, she added.  Mountains made me happy and relaxed.  I will never give up.  I want young women not to give up.”

Suzy Whaley is the first woman elected to serve as an officer of the PGA of America, PGA Honorary President and PGA Master Professional, Suzy Whaley is the PGA Director of Instruction for the Country Club at Mirasol in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.  After serving two years as PGA Secretary, and two years as Vice President, Whaley was elected as the PGA of America’s first female President at the 2018 PGA Annual Meeting.  She steered the Association through the onset of the global pandemic, leading to the establishment of the nearly $8 million Golf Emergency Relief Fund for golf industry personnel in need, and unprecedented growth in rounds played using social distancing protocols established in conjunction with the CDC and Bank2Golf.

 Recognized as one of GOLF’s “Top 100 Teachers in America” and with the Metropolitan Golf Association’s Distinguished Service Award in 2019, Whaley’s resume includes numerous other teaching awards:  Golf Digest Top 50 Instructor, LPGA Top 50 Instructor, two-time Connecticut PGA Teacher of the Year, 10-time Golf Digest State Teacher of the Year and U.S. Kids Golf Master Kids Teacher.  She is a five-time PGA Jr. League Championship finals Coach and has instructed more that 300 children to collegiate golf.

Previously, she enjoyed a five-year tenure at Jim Flick Golf Schools, before becoming the Head Golf Professional at Blue Fox Run in Avon, CT, in 2002.  She works for ESPN and ESPN+ as an analyst and commentator.  She will also work for Sirius XM radio for the Augusta Women’s Amateur Championship and the Masters.  From 2004-2006, she also served as an LPGA golf commentator for ESPN.  Afterward, Whaley began her own instruction and coaching business, Suzy Whaley Golf.

In 2021 Connecticut Golf Sports Hall of Fame inductee and Greater Syracuse Sports Hall of Fame member, Whaley also serves on both the ANNIKA Foundation Board and as an advisor for the Sportsbox AI.  In addition, she is an Honorary Director for the First Tee of Connecticut.

Born on January 1, 1922 in Tallahassee, FL, Cora Lee Bentley Radcliffe had a profound impact on Connecticut ever since moving to Hartford to earn her master’s degree in Special Education from the University of Hartford. Cora Lee grew up in a large family of fifteen brothers and sisters and excelled in track and field. During her time in college, she used her athletic abilities, collaboration skills, and passion to start the first black female basketball and softball team in Connecticut; the Tigerettes! She led the team to a victory on their very first season and inspired hundreds of girls and women, especially black girls and women, to realize their athletic potential during the 1940s and 1950s. Alongside this, she demonstrated her passion to help others in being a mentor to mentally challenged children in schools throughout Hartford for over 30 years. Although Cora Lee passed away on August 3, 2010, her mark on the involvement of black females in sports has been profound. Her legacy can also be seen through her children and grandchildren, like her granddaughter, Anika Noni Rose, famed actress and 2018 Inductee of the Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame.