All-time Apollo High School girls’ basketball great Natalie Powers Payne has secured a spot in the Western Kentucky University Athletics Hall of Fame. WKU formed the Hall of Fame in 1991 and has only inducted 170 former athletes and coaches since its conception.
Powers will travel to Bowling Green on November 11 for a homecoming brunch and induction ceremony at E.A. Diddle Arena – the same hardwood she played on for 4 years after graduating from AHS.
During those 4 years for the Lady Toppers, Payne earned All-Sun Belt Conference honors 2 years in a row and claimed a spot on the all-tournament team. During the conference’s 30th anniversary in 2006, she was named a Sun Belt Conference All-Time team member.
She attributes much of her success on the hill to the folks at the university who made it all possible. When Payne first received the phone call notifying her of the accolade, she said her emotions got the best of her.
“During my time at WKU, I was surrounded by amazing coaches, teammates, trainers, professors, and fans who believed in me, and for that I am forever grateful,” Payne said. “As you get older, you look back at the hours spent working on your craft, the sacrifices you made, and the sacrifices your family made to help make your dreams of becoming a Division I athlete come true, and you realize how special it is to receive such an honor.”
Payne ended her career ranked sixth in all-time scoring for WKU; she now stands at 13th. She’s also touted as one of the Lady Tops’ best career shooters, draining 138 threes with 38.3% accuracy.
“My family deserves the recognition because they stood by me through all of the injuries and late nights and drove thousands of miles to watch me play the game I loved and still love,” she said. “During the summer of my junior year at WKU, my dad would meet me in Bowling Green, and we would drive to Vanderbilt together just to get in some extra pick-up games. Those car rides were so special to me. We would talk about basketball and what steps I needed to take to elevate my game to the next level.”
However, most Kentucky basketball enthusiasts will remember where it all started for Payne: Apollo High School. Under head coach Willis McClure, she led the E-Gals to three consecutive regional championships, earning trips to the state tournament.
“I also want to thank coach Willis McClure, who I still consider a great mentor today,” she said. “He helped prepare me for the college game. He believed in me and continued to show support and belief in me long after my playing days at Apollo High School.”
Payne strives to instill the same passion for the game into her players as one of the few female head coaches in the 3rd region.
“Being one of the few female coaches in the 3rd region, I take pride in using my experience with playing Division I basketball and professionally overseas as a means of motivating my players,” she said. “I want my players to believe that anything is possible if you work and commit to being the best you can be.”
Ultimately, Payne knows it is, and has always been, about more than just basketball.
“The longer I’ve been in coaching, the more I focus on strengthening my relationships with my players and coaching staff,” she said. “As a leader, if you want to build something special, it starts with how you speak to your players and coaches, the culture you help create, and leading by example.”
