KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Former Mississippi College basketball star Rita Easterling was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame over the weekend in Knoxville, Tenn. 

A 2011 Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame inductee, Easterling's career began at Morton High School where she won Mississippi's Miss Basketball award in1973 before attending Mississippi College and joining the women's basketball team. 

In her time with the Lady Choctaws Easterling helped lead them to the AIAW national final three times and was selected as a Kodak All-American in 1976.  She also represented the United States in 1975, winning a gold medal in the Pan American Games and a silver at the World University Games.     

Following a short stint as an assistant coach at MC, Easterling joined the Chicago Hustle of the Women's Pro Basketball League.  She led the league in assists with 313 and averaged 21.5 points per game and was named MVP of the league and of the All-Star game in 1979.

Following her playing career Easterling returned to Clinton as a coach, first as an assistant in 1981 before being promoted to head coach in 1983.  She served as the Lady Choctaws' head coach until 1990.