Hayesville’s Cottrell Inducted Into Clemson Athletic Hall of Fame

CLEMSON, S.C. — Former Hayesville High School and Clemson women’s basketball standout Laura Cottrell was inducted into the Clemson Athletic Hall of Fame on Saturday, Sept. 12, as part of the 11-member Class of 2026.

Clemson Athletics and the Block C Club announced the class April 28. Inductees were honored in conjunction with Clemson’s home football game against Georgia Southern at Memorial Stadium. Clemson won 22-7. The Hall of Fame ceremony is traditionally held on campus the Friday evening before a home football game, with new members introduced to the stadium crowd.

Cottrell played for the Tigers from 1993 to 1997. She was a first-team All-ACC selection in 1996 and 1997 and the 1996 ACC Tournament MVP. She was a key contributor to Clemson’s first ACC women’s basketball championship. She is one of five players in program history with at least 1,000 points and 800 rebounds, finishing with 1,108 points and 808 rebounds. She ranks among Clemson’s top five in career rebounds and top 15 in scoring.

A 6-foot-1 post player, Cottrell starred at Hayesville High School in Clay County, N.C., before college. She scored 2,141 points and grabbed 1,178 rebounds, leading the Yellow Jackets to four consecutive N.C. 1A state championships and a 108-9 record. She was the all-time leading scorer among Western North Carolina girls when she graduated. A knee injury kept her out of the 1993 state title game and required surgery. Other injuries slowed her early Clemson career, but she started for three seasons.

In the 1996 ACC Tournament, she totaled 37 rebounds over three games, including 16 in a semifinal win over Virginia. She had 10 points and 12 rebounds in the championship game, a 71-54 victory over Duke. Fourth-seeded Clemson led from start to finish.

She is part of a well-known Western North Carolina basketball family. Her father, Steve Cottrell, coached Western Carolina and later Hayesville High School. Her brother Michael holds the Western N.C. boys scoring record with 2,503 points at Cullowhee High School. After graduating from Clemson, Laura Cottrell entered coaching, following her father and brothers. She later served as head coach at Chattanooga Christian Academy in Tennessee.

The 2026 class also includes Andy D’Alessio (baseball), Dalton Freeman (football), Matt Hendrix (men’s golf), Tevin Hester (men’s track and field), Grady Jarrett (football), K.J. McDaniels (men’s basketball), Christian Nwokocha (men’s soccer), Brianna Rollins (women’s track and field), Andrew Tarbell (men’s soccer) and longtime team orthopedist Dr. Larry Bowman. Combined, the class produced more than 40 All-ACC selections, 20 All-America honors and 15 ACC championships.