Bernadette Locke Mattox, a Philadelphia native and Loudon High School graduate, was officially recognized by Roane State Community College for her induction into the Tennessee Community College Athletic Association Hall of Fame.

The WNBA assistant coach put together a successful career in collegiate sports, earning All-American and Academic All-American honors as a player at the University of Georgia following her two-year stint with Roane State. Despite playing just two years at Georgia, she ranks 10th all time in steals with 218.

Mattox also spent several years coaching on the collegiate level where she became the first female to serve as a Division I assistant, working under Rick Pitino at Kentucky before going on to be the head coach of the Kentucky women's basketball team from 1995-2003.

"I can't say enough about how special this is," Mattox said. "You think back to the time when you started school (at Roane State) and the people that were involved and the support you got from the people here, the administration, the athletics program, just everybody. You walk in the door and see most of those people and it's a lot."

Mattox praised Roane State for providing a solid foundation for her collegiate career as both a player and coach.

"All the things we inspire to be and what we achieve in life, all that starts on the collegiate level," she said. "Roane State has done a tremendous job with that. I am really fortunate and very blessed to have this opportunity to come back and receive this award."

Earning a spot in the TCCAA Hall of Fame was something Mattox said she would have never thought about and something she did not expect.

"Those are the things you don't think about because they're so big and they're so special," she said. "You just feel like you're trying to do what you can to help the program and to academically achieve the things in life and go on with your career. You would never think these are the type of things that would come from that, but I've always been taught if you take care of the little things big things will happen. In essence, that's probably true."