Washington State University Athletics

The most prolific scorer in Washington State women’s basketball history, Jeanne Eggart Helfer tallied 1,967 points during her four-year career. As a junior, she set a single-game Cougar record with 40 points at Santa Clara, New Year’s Eve, 1980. That season, Eggart Helfer set school records for points (633), points per game (22.6) and field goals (233). She also set a school single-season record for steals (104) as a freshman in 1978-79. In addition to her scoring record, Eggart Helfer set career marks at Washington State for points per game (18.4), field goals (750), free throws (467), steals (377), steals per game (3.5), assists (381) and assists per game (3.6). She was an all-conference first team honoree four times, and an all-region all-star three times. The accolades are more impressive considering she took a one-year hiatus from basketball between her sophomore and junior seasons in attempt to make the 1980 United States Olympic Track & Field team. She finished fourth in the javelin at the Olympic Trails, one spot shy of making the team. Three times, Eggart Helfer was named Inland Empire Female Athlete of the Year. Following her playing career, she became a prep basketball and track coach. Eggart Helfer is in the Inland Northwest Sports Hall of Fame as a coach and the WIAA Hall of Fame as an athlete.