USAPL Women's Hall of Fame
Every year, the number of women competing in the USAPL Women's National Championships increases. With the ever-growing popularity of the sport among women, it's hard to imagine that within two generations women's powerlifting was unheard of. As in all things, there were firsts in women's powerlifting.
Not only did women cross over to the platform and begin competing, they also shunned tradition to become judges, promoters, and coaches. Equally as important were the men who supported their endeavors.
Robert Penn Warren once said:
"History cannot give us a program for the future, but it can give us a fuller understanding of ourselves, and of our common humanity, so that we can better face the future."
It was with this ideal that a motion was put forth at the 2003 Women's Executive Committee meeting to honor those women and men who set the standards for current and future women powerlifters. The inaugural inductees to the the Women's Hall of Fame not only set the bar in many aspects of our sport, they continued to push those limits beyond the imaginable. In this respect, it is our hope that by honoring these individuals and preserving their accomplishments, history will repeat itself.
WOMEN'S HALL of FAME Inductees
Click on each athlete's name to view their bio.
2012 Inductees
- Paula Houston
- Susan Elwyn
2011 Inductees
2010 Inductees
2009 Inductees
2008 Inductees
- Betsy Ojanen
- Sandy Brady-Hansen
2007 Inductees
2006 Inductees
2005 Inductee
2004 Inductees
Nominating Procedures
2004 marked the inaugural year for the Women's Hall of Fame. The Committee choose to induct a handful of pioneers that made a significant impact on Women's Powerlifting. Choosing just one individual to honor was nearly impossible.
Looking down the road and into the future years of the Women's Hall of Fame, one individual will be inducted each year. One inductee each year will be a woman, odd years, also could be male who has made a considerable impact on the movement of women in powerlifting, such as Pat Malone or Terry Todd. The Committee welcomes your nominations.
Induction Criteria
- The inductee must be current or have been a former member of the USAPL/ADFPA in good standing.
- The inductee must have made historically significant and noteworthy contributions to USAPL/ADFPA women's powerlifting.
- The inductee must have served as a role model to other female athletes because of inductee's performance and/or leadership.
- The inductee must have in some notable, significant way worked for the promotion, advancement, and betterment of USAPL/ADFPA women's powerlifting.
- The inductee shall have no drug infractions pursuant to USAPL/ADFPA organizational rules or from any other powerlifting organization, and the inductee must not have received any prior USAPL/ADFPA suspensions.
- If an athlete, the inductee must have competed in the ADFPA/USAPL at least 5 years. If an administrator, must have served at least 10 years in the ADFPA/USAPL.
- Each year, one inductee shall be a woman and in odd years, there
may be an appropriate male inductee. There may be more than one inductee
but not more than two inductees in a given year.
Nomination Form
[ Nomination Form .doc ] [Nomination Form .pdf ]
Please submit a page or two narrative on why you think your favorite lifter, coach, referee should be inducted into the Women's Hall of Fame. Submit the nomination to the Committee Chair, Priscilla Ribic by January 15th.
WOMEN'S HALL of FAME Timeline
Instructions for Hall of Fame Nominations
DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION: JANUARY 15
January 15th
Nomination Form Submission Deadline
January 30th
Selection of Inductee, EC review and vote deadline
February 5th
Inductee notified by the Committee Chair
Women's Nationals
Formal Hall of Fame Induction
USAPL Women's Committee Members
Chair - Priscilla Ribic
Disa Hatfield
Erin Dickey
Jim Ford
All Inductees
