Mt. Vernon head coach Julie Shelton (left) and Tom Kirby react to the action in a game this season against Westfield. Shelton will be honored this weekend by the BIG EAST Conference.
The Daily Reporter File Photo
Mt. Vernon High School girls basketball coach and assistant athletic director Julie Shelton will be recognized by the BIG EAST Conference Saturday as one of its BIG EAST Basketball Legends.
A 2006 Butler Athletic Hall of Fame inductee, Shelton is regarded as one of the top women’s basketball players to ever wear a Butler uniform. She finished her career as Butler’s all-time leading scorer and as the second all-time leading scorer in the Horizon League. She’s the only player in Butler women’s basketball history to score over 2,000 career points, finishing with an all-time record 2,018 points. She was a four-time, first team all-league performer, and she was named Midwestern Collegiate Conference Player of the Year in 1992-93.
“Shocked and humbled, it’s a really neat thing,” Shelton said of the honor. “I’m proud to be a big part of Butler University and the experience I had there.”
The BIG EAST Conference announced Tuesday the creation of the BIG EAST Basketball Legends Recognition Program. Each of the Conference’s 11 member schools were tasked with selecting a former prominent coach or player from both their men’s and women’s programs to be honored at the upcoming BIG EAST Tournaments. The program will be conducted annually.
“I’m really looking forward to it. I think it’s going to be a neat experience,” Shelton added. “I’m hoping Butler can win their first-round game (Friday) because then we’d be introduced at the UConn-Butler game, which would be really cool.”
Women’s basketball Legends will be recognized during the BIG EAST Tournament Quarterfinals on March 9 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. Men’s basketball Legends will be honored during each team’s first game of the BIG EAST Tournament at Madison Square Garden in New York City, with the First Round on March 13 and Quarterfinals on March 14.
“We are excited to launch this annual celebration of former players and coaches who have had profound impacts on the history and success of our 22 basketball programs,” said BIG EAST Commissioner Val Ackerman. “This first group of BIG EAST Legends includes trailblazers as well as more recent stars, all of whom have contributed significantly to their schools and many of whom are part of BIG EAST basketball lore. We look forward to giving them another big round of applause during our upcoming tournament festivities.”
The premier class of BIG EAST Women’s Basketball Legends are: Butler’s Julie VonDielingen Shelton (1989-93), UConn’s Laura Lishness (1987-91), Creighton’s Marissa Janning Murphy (2012-17), DePaul’s Khara Smith (2002-06), Georgetown’s Kris Witfill (1989-93), Marquette’s Allazia Blockton (2015-19), Providence’s Kathy Finn Hill (1980-84), St. John’s Debbie Beckford (1979-83), Seton Hall’s Jodi Brooks (1990-94), Villanova’s Harry Perretta (1978-2020), and Xavier’s Ta’Shia Phillips (2007-11). Included in the list of honorees are seven former conference players of the year, a four-time BIG EAST Coach of the Year, six All-Americans, an all-time program scoring leader and two all-time school rebounding leaders.
The first class of BIG EAST Men’s Basketball Legends includes: Butler’s Shelvin Mack (2008-11), UConn’s Chris Smith (1988-92), Creighton’s Randy Eccker (1974-78), DePaul’s Wilson Chandler (2005-07), Georgetown’s Reggie Williams (1983-87), Marquette’s Jerel McNeal (2005-09), Providence’s Ernie DiGregorio (1969-73), St. John’s Marcus Hatten (2001-03), Seton Hall’s Terry Dehere (1989-93), Villanova’s Randy Foye (2002-06), and Xavier’s J.P. Macura (2014-18).
