Stacey Clinesmith, Isaac Fontaine, Jen Greaney, Dennis LaRue, Bud Namek, and Sue Doering represent the Class of 2024.
SPOKANE, Wash. — Six local sports legends were inducted into the INW Sports Hall of Fame on Tuesday at Spokane Arena.
The Class of 2024 includes Gonzaga women’s basketball assistant coach Stacy Clinesmith, WSU basketball legend Isaac Fontaine, West Virginia volleyball head coach Jen Greaney, and former NHL referee Dennis Greaney. LaRue and former KXLY sports director Bud Namek were selected.
Clinesmith starred at Meade High School before attending the University of California, Santa Barbara. She was Washington State’s Athlete of the Year in back-to-back years in 1995 and 1996. She began coaching at Gonzaga in 2014.
“It was the Spokane community that really supported women’s basketball back then and really ignited my passion, so I’m honored to have a hometown that means the world to me. And so many… People brought me here,’” Clinesmith said.
Fontaine was Washington State’s career leader in 3-point shooting percentage and was a Wood Award finalist and earned a PAC-10 medal during his senior season in 1997.
Greaney played basketball and volleyball at Davenport High School, winning state championships in both sports. She had a successful coaching career at Pullman High School, Lewis-Clark State College, and Washington State University before taking the head coaching position at West Virginia University.
“This means a lot to me because I grew up in this area and my father is already in the Hall of Fame and so many of the area’s great athletes, coaches, broadcasters and sports figures are enshrined here.” said Greaney.
LaRue graduated from Gonzaga Prep and refereed in the WHL until moving to the NHL in 1990. LaRue has been a referee in the NHL for 26 years and also officiated in the 2009 Stanley Cup Final. He also refereed at the Olympics four times, winning gold in 2010.
Mr. Namek was the sports director at KXLY for 13 years and broadcast Washington State basketball and football games on the radio for 22 years.
Mr. Doering coached high school volleyball for 33 years. She spent four years at Deer Park, finishing her last 29 years coaching at Colfax. Doering won 14 state championships, but only two teams failed to advance to state during his entire career.
“It’s such an honor and it’s so exciting to be here and be a part of basketball and see all the names and now have my own cubicle,” Doering said. said.
“Colfax has a very supportive athletic community, and what I really needed was three really good athletes a year, and I always have three really good athletes a year. “I did,” Doering said of her long-term success.
You can find all the cubbies lining the walls of the first floor of Spokane Arena.
