Wednesday, September 23, 2009
For Immediate Release

Former USM All-American Joanna Brown To Be Inducted Into 
New England Basketball Hall of Fame



     GORHAM, Maine  --  Former University of Southern Maine women’s basketball 
standout center Joanna Brown Cormier (York, Maine) will be among the honorees 
inducted into the New England Basketball Hall of Fame on Friday, October 9, 2009 
at the The Mohegan Sun Uncas Ballroom in Uncassville, Conn.  The New England 
Basketball Hall of Fame released its Class of 2009 on September 15.  
     One of the most decorated players in the history of the perennially 
successful University of Southern Maine women’s basketball team, Brown Cormier 
became the fourth Husky to earn WBCA All-American honors during the 1997-1998 
season after earning WBCA Honorable Mention All-American status consecutively 
during the 1996-1997 and 1995-1996 seasons during her stellar four-year career.  
A three-time Little East Conference Player of the Year (1996, 1997, 1998), Brown 
Cormier began her career with USM being named the LEC Rookie of the Year and 
ECAC Rookie of the Year in 1995.  Among her numerous honors, Brown Cormier was 
named the ECAC Player of the Year, New England Women’s Basketball Association 
(NEWBA) Player of the Year and Maine Women’s Basketball Coaches Association 
(MWBCA) Player of the Year in 1998.  Brown Cormier was also the MWBCA Player of 
the Year in 1996.  One of the top players in the country during her career, 
Brown Cormier was a three-time All-LEC, ECAC and NEWBA first team selection 
(1998, 1997 and 1996) and was twice selected to the MWBCA first team (1998, 
1996).  
     Brown Cormier led Southern Maine to a record of 92-15 from 1994-1998, three 
Little East Conference Tournament Championships and four consecutive trips to 
the NCAA Division III Women’s Basketball National Championship Tournament, 
including the 1998 NCAA Division III Final Four where the Huskies finished as 
national runners-up.  An adept scorer, Brown Cormier is in the top ten of eight 
career marks in the USM record books and still holds the record for career field 
goal percentage shooting 57.0 percent from the field (731-for-1301) in 111 games 
over four seasons.  The 6-0 center is currently second in scoring average (16.6 
ppg), field goals made (731) and free throws made (380), third in points scored 
(1,845) and rebounds (962) and seventh in free throw percentage (.763) and 
rebound average (8.7 rpg).  
     “Jo was one of the most prolific post players in the history of the 
program,” noted USM veteran head coach Gary Field.  “She had a distinguished 
career at Southern Maine and is one of the many players who have helped build 
and maintain the success we have had on the national level.  She had an uncanny 
ability to score while being closely guarded in the paint and was a talented 
enough shooter to step out and hit the three.  She possessed what many USM 
players have had, a desire to win, commitment to team and a competitive drive.  
I am excited for her to earn this honor.” 
     Brown Cormier becomes the fourth University of Southern Maine women’s 
basketball player to be inducted into the New England Basketball Hall of Fame 
joining the all-time leading scorer in USM history and two-time WBCA All-
American Maureen Burchill Cooper (Portland, Maine) who was inducted in 2003, 
2004 inducted WBCA All-American Dianna Duff (Cumberland, Maine) and former 
teammate on the Huskies 1998 Final Four team Julie Plant who was inducted in 
2006.  The Huskies’ 1998 and the 2000 teams are also enshrined in the New 
England Basketball Hall of Fame as well as long-time head coach Gary Fifield who 
was inducted in 2003. 
     Inductees for the New England Basketball Hall of Fame were selected in 
specific categories.  High school boys, girls, coaches and teams were selected 
by state.  College Division I, II and III, Junior College and Prep school 
categories were selected without regard to state affiliation.  Special Inductees 
categories were also considered regionally and included referees, organizations, 
members of the media, contributors, semiprofessional players and individual 
selections from Special Olympics, deaf competitors, wheelchair athletes and the 
youth/volunteer category.