Cindy Blodgett took girls’ and women’s basketball to a new level in Maine.

Joe Russo has walked off the court as the winning coach in 427 games.

Now both have one thing in common: They are members of the 2018 class of the Maine Basketball Hall of Fame.

Russo and Blodgett join a total of 22 men and women up for induction. There are 16 inductees in the Hall’s fifth class who will be joined by six “Legends of the Hall,” as well as one team, the 1960 Lewiston High boys’ squad.

A native of Clinton, Blodgett led Lawrence High School to an 84-4 record and four straight Class A state championships and became Maine’s all-time high school scoring leader, with 2,596 points.

She was a three-time Gatorade Player of the Year and Miss Basketball in 1994.

At the University of Maine, Blodgett scored 3,005 points and led the Black Bears to the NCAA Tournament for four consecutive seasons. She twice led the nation in scoring and broke 20 school records.

An All-American guard, Blodgett was chosen sixth overall in the WNBA draft and played for Cleveland and Sacramento. She had a stint as coach of the Maine women’s basketball team, and is now associate head coach at Boston University.

Russo, with seven regional titles and five state championships, was honored Tuesday at Cheverus High School with the announcement of his induction.

“It’s a bit overwhelming,” Russo said. “There are so many names on that list who were accomplished athletes and coaches. Just to be considered was an honor. I’m very appreciative.”

Joining Russo on Tuesday were inductee Bill Obermeyer, a star player at Gorham State Teachers College and a longtime coach at Kennebunk High School, and Jim Beaudry, a member of this year’s Legends category, and a former coach and athletic director at the University of New England who will turn 95 on Aug. 19, also induction day.

Russo played three seasons for Portland High, graduating in 1975. After playing four years at the University of Maine-Presque Isle (and later earning induction into the school’s Hall of Fame), Russo spent three years coaching the Bonny Eagle boys’ before returning to his alma mater in 1991. He guided Portland to Class A championships in 1999, 2004 and 2014, and to Class AA crowns in 2016 and 2017. The Bulldogs lost in the Class A state final in 2007 and 2015.

“Basketball has been a big part of my life,” Russo said. “My Portland teams were very good and I had a great experience up at UMPI. I met a lot of nice people at Bonny Eagle, but when the Portland job opened, it was a no-brainer. I never left Portland. I’ve been there my whole life. I’ve been very fortunate with my journey.”

“Joe has become an icon in Maine basketball,” said Tony Hamlin, the Chair of the Hall of Fame’s Board of Directors. “He’s on the verge of winning perhaps another state championship. To see the kid from Munjoy Hill make the journey to the Hall of Fame is pretty impressive.”

Hamlin said that Beaudry and Obermeyer stood out for their character as much as for their skill.

“The words I use to describe Bill are class, integrity, character,” Hamlin said. “He set an example of excellence for his players. He represents all the goodness of basketball in terms of his mentoring. “Jim is a gentleman. He did things the right way. He went about his business, was understated and humble. No one affiliated with basketball in Maine has a bad word to say about him.”

The 2018 induction ceremony will be held Aug. 19 at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor.

Other inductees are: Brenda Beckwith, Paul Belanger, Jim Bessey, Sandi Carver, Dean Erickson, Peter Hamlin, Jeff Hart, Barbara Krause, Bill McAvoy, Delmont “Del” Merrill, Bill Obermeyer, Keith Ogden, Leroy Patterson and Rick Woods

In the Legends category are Jim Beaudry, Bill Fletcher, Dwight Hunter, Elwood “Bimbo” Pinkham, Thaxter Trafton and Arthur “Artie” Warren.

The honored team is the 1960 Lewiston boys, who capped an undefeated season with a Class A state title, topping Brewer, 81-64. The Blue Devils advanced to the New England Championship.

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