Placer Athletic Hall of Fame: Judy Porter - The newcomer who became a basketball star

When she showed up as a ninth-grader on the Placer High School campus in the fall of 1975, Judy Porter (class of 1979) had never played sports. Limited in mobility due to wearing knee braces for three years as a youngster, she was more at home sitting at the piano. Little did she know, when she tried out for the basketball team that year, she would become a record-setting athlete at Placer and have her jersey retired at San Diego State following an outstanding career for the Aztecs. For her exceptional performance on the basketball court in high school and college, Porter will be inducted into the PHS Athletic Hall of Fame on April 26 in a ceremony at the school's iconic Earl Crabbe Gym. As a freshman, Porter, standing 6 foot 4, was welcomed by the Wanda Webb-coached team. She didn't score much, three points a game, but helped with defense and rebounding as Placer went 14-0 to win the Sierra Foothill League championship and advance to the Tournament of Champions. At the end of the season, she was voted Most Improved Player. Porter found the sport to be fun. Intent on improving her skills, she attended the Pat Kennedy camps in Stockton during the summer. Playing at home against her brothers Carlos and Cedric, both Placer grads, and her mother helped as well. During her sophomore year with the Hillgals, as they were called then, the improvement showed as she averaged 12 points a game and continued to contribute on defense and with rebounding. Under the direction of new coach Peg Speck, Placer placed second in league with a 12-2 mark and an overall 16-6 record. Porter credited Speck as an influential coach, saying, "She was a very supportive coach, one who was instrumental in pushing me forward." In her junior year, Porter realized she had to carry the team through scoring as well as defense and rebounding. She was the league MVP, averaging 17 points and 17 rebounds per game while leading the team to an 11-1 SFL record and championship and qualifying for the Tournament of Champions. Because Title IX, mandating gender equality in school-sponsored sports, was still rather new at the time, she didn't think about her scholarship potential. But her senior year exploits eliminated all that. Averaging 22 points and 20 rebounds per game, she drew the attention of college scouts. Placer went 14-0 and won the league title for the third time in Porter's four years. The team dominated opponents by an average score of 65-33 and finished with a 21-4 overall record, again making it to the Tournament of Champions. Placer was ranked No. 3 in the Sacramento Metro area and 11th in Northern California. So important was basketball to Porter that she declined going to her Senior Prom and instead drove her car to a local court to shoot baskets that night. Porter was more than one-dimensional at Placer. She was a mainstay in the music program, playing clarinet all four years in the marching band, orchestra, jazz band and pep band. "(Music Director) Clyde Quick was a great instructor. I loved hanging out with my friends in the music department," she said. Porter earned an athletic scholarship to San Diego State. By the time she completed her illustrious Aztec career, she held 21 school records, including most points (2,318), rebounds (1,498), field goals (882), free throws (564) and steals (330). She still holds 12 records, including highest career rebounding average of 12.5 per game, and the season rebound record of 436. A true competitor, she loved playing against such teams as UCLA and USC. "We didn't win against them very often, but I loved the competition," she reflected. Porter also cherished playing against such outstanding athletes as Cheryl Miller, Lisa Leslie, Denise Curry and others. Clearly one of the most dominant players SDSU had ever seen, Porter was inducted into the San Diego State Athletic Hall of Fame in 1990, becoming the first Aztec female athlete to be so honored. Her number 33 jersey now proudly hangs in the Aztec arena. Her biggest honor was being named as a finalist for the National Women's Player of the Year award and attending the ceremony in New York in her senior year. The Wade Trophy, named after three-time national champion coach Lily Margaret Wade, is awarded to the best women's basketball player in NCAA Division I. Porter had offers to play overseas following college, but an injured neck snuffed out that opportunity. But she continued to play in senior summer leagues in San Diego and played in the Senior Olympics in the 50-55 year-old division. Porter has been employed as a social worker for San Diego County since 2002, working with foster youth. She loves working with children and families. She and husband Linny have two adult daughters, Tyrah and Mariah. She lives in San Diego. The Athletic Hall of Fame ceremony is April 26 in the Earl Crabbe Gym. A reception will begin at 6 p.m., followed by the induction ceremony at 7. Tickets for the reception cost $25 until April 15 and $35 after, and are available online at placerathletichalloffame.org. The ceremony is free of charge to the public.