Wednesday, February 03, 2010

One of the top outside shooters ever to play basketball at Valpo, Lynda (Kukla) Pinnow will be inducted into the Valparaiso University Athletics Hall of Fame on Saturday afternoon.

Pinnow still ranks among the top-10 in school history with 1,081 career points.  She led the nation in three-point shooting in 1991-1992, making 101 triples, still a Crusader single season record.  A Second Team All-North Star Conference selection as a senior, Pinnow participated in the women’s first three-point shootout at the 1992 Men’s Final Four in Minneapolis.  She holds the Crusader career record with 264 triples, and her .350 career three-point percentage is tied for 10th on Valpo’s career list.  Pinnow also still ranks ninth all-time at Valpo in steals (167) and is 17th in assists (208). 

A co-captain for the Crusaders as a senior, she was a two-time recipient of the team’s Coaches’ Award during her stay at Valpo as well. 

Kukla has since gone on to coach high school basketball.  Pinnow is currently a special education teacher and has been raising her two children, Gabby and Willy.

The Valparaiso University Athletics Hall of Fame Induction Banquet will be held on Saturday, February 6 at 3:30 p.m. in the Ballroom at the Harre Union.  The inductees will also be recognized at halftime of both the men’s and women’s basketball games on the same day.