McKeesport native Swin Cash inducted into Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame

Basketball player Swin Cash has had a long career of success, stretching back to her days at McKeesport Area High School and through time in the WNBA and winning two gold medals for Team USA.

And on Aug. 21, Cash success was rewarded as she was inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in Knoxville, Tenn. She becomes one of very few people from the Pittsburgh-area to be inducted into any major basketball Hall of Fame, joining greats like Pete Maravich and Jack Twyman.

Cash grew up in McKeesport with her mother, two brothers, and sister. She showed exceptional talent on the McKeesport Area High School team, earning a place on the national WBCA All-American team. She played in the WBCA High School All-America Game and earned MVP honors.

Cash went on to play for the University of Connecticut Huskies, where she won the NCAA Women’s Division I Basketball Championship in 2000 and 2002. She was also part of the inaugural class of inductees to the University of Connecticut women’s basketball “Huskies of Honor” recognition program in 2006.

State Sen. Jim Brewster (D-McKeesport) congratulated Cash, noting her greatness at all levels of the sport as well as on and off the court.

“Swin Cash is an outstanding basketball player who dominated the sport at every level,” Brewster said in a press release. “Even more importantly, Swin comes from a great family, she is an exceptional person and a tremendous role model.”

After college, Cash went on to play in the WNBA for the Detroit Shock among other teams. She also played and internationally for  VBM-SGAU Samara, and ZVVZ USK Prague. She has won multiple WNBA championships as well as gold medals for Team USA as part of the Olympic women’s basketball team in 2004 and 2012. She also won a gold medal as part of the national team at the ​​FIBA World Championship for Women in 2010.

“Those of us who watched Swin play through the years were not surprised that she has reached such heights in the world of women’s basketball,” Brewster said. “She demonstrated her commitment to succeed and compete at the highest levels early in her career. The entire McKeesport community is proud of Swin’s induction into the WNBA Hall of Fame and we send congratulations for this incredible honor.”

Cash is currently the vice president of basketball operations and team development for the New Orleans Pelicans, and she is the first person in Pelicans history to be inducted into any major basketball Hall of Fame.