Nearly 100 members of the Oxford and Ole Miss community participated in a meet-and-greet with Ole Miss Women’s basketball legends and Athletics Hall of Fame members Peggie Gillom-Granderson and Jennifer Gillom Thursday afternoon in the Tuohy Center.
Jennifer Gillom, former WNBA and Ole Miss Women’s basketball player, teaches how to pass during The Great Gillom Shootout was hosted by the Ole Miss Women’s Council for Philanthropy. (Photo by: Cameron Brooks)
The “Great Gillom Shootout” was hosted by the Ole Miss Women’s Council for Philanthropy. Gillom and Gillom-Granderson are the OMWC’s 2017 Legacy Award recipients.
Every year the Legacy Award is given to someone who has exhibited leadership, philanthropic involvement and mentorship not only at the university and in the state, but nationwide. Previous Legacy Award winners include former Chancellor Robert Khayat, chairman of the Overby Center Charles Overby and former Governor William Winter.
“We’re so, so proud to have them with us today,” OMWC chair Mary Donnelly Haskell said. “As you can see the women’s basketball team has stopped by to say hello, the cheerleaders, it’s just a great way to kick off the celebration and have a great time of fellowship.”
Gillom made her mark on Ole Miss history as the team’s second highest scorer and third highest rebounder while playing for the Rebels from 1982-1986. In addition to playing professionally for the Phoenix Mercury from 1997-2002, she went on to win eight gold medals in the 1988 Olympics and earned another gold medal coaching team USA in 2012.
Gillom-Granderson still holds the university record for all-time scoring and rebounding. She played at the university from 1976-1980 and then went on to join the Dallas Diamonds in 1980. Gillom-Anderson coached the Houston Comets to two WNBA championships and coached Division I college basketball at Texas A&M University. She also served as the assistant coach for the gold medal Olympic team in 2000.
OMWC events chair Elizabeth Randall said the council wanted to hold an event that would allow the community to interact with the sisters while simultaneously honoring them.
“They are both Ole Miss basketball stars, both gold medalists, really international basketball superstars, and they’re local here to Oxford,” Randall said. “We wanted to have an event that would allow the community to come see them and do a little shoot-around.”
Gillom said she has always felt so supported by Ole Miss, and believes that is the reason for her success.
“To now look back on my career and to come back here and be recognized for my accomplishments, it has been amazing because they believed in me, but it was about me believing in myself,” Gillom said. “I believe that’s what helped me to succeed, and to see it all come true is amazing.”
Gillom and Gillom-Granderson will receive their awards Saturday at The Pavilion during the Ole Miss C-Spire conference. A sponsor’s gala reception will begin at 6 p.m.
“Something like the legacy award, that’s a person’s dream, to leave a legacy,” Gillom said. “The award itself speaks volumes and I’m honored.”
