Western Kentucky alumni (from left) Hardin McLane, Don Parson and Natalie Powers are part of the 2025 induction class for the Kentucky High School Basketball Hall of Fame. (WKU ATHLETICS)

Two former Hilltoppers and one former Lady Topper have been named to the Kentucky High School Basketball Hall of Fame.

Hardin McLane, Don Parson and Natalie Powers will be inducted in the Class of 2025 in a ceremony on Sept. 6.

The Kentucky High School Basketball Hall of Fame seeks to recognize the value and contributions of the men and women who played and coached the game. The Hall of Fame is dedicated to promoting and educating the public about the culture, tradition and rich heritage of Kentucky High School Basketball. Since 2012, 181 individuals have been inducted into the KHSBHF. The 2025 Class includes 13 individuals, three being WKU alumni.

Hardin McLane

Hardin McLane, a native of Elizabethtown, was a student manager for the WKU men’s basketball team from 1953-56, contributing to one of the most storied eras of Hilltopper basketball, led by legendary coach E.A. Diddle. During the 1953-54 season, McLane was a part of a team that posted a 29-3 record, won the Ohio Valley Conference championship and advanced to the semifinals of the NIT.

After graduating, McLane embarked on a remarkable high school coaching career, best known for his 10-year tenure with Elizabethtown Catholic High School from 1958-68. McLane guided the Knights to 20-plus wins every season and achieved a 76.7% overall winning rate. His leadership brought the team to four Sweet 16 state tournament appearances in 1961, 1965, 1967 and 1968 while claiming the Louisville Invitational Tournament title in 1961. In 1968, McLane coached the Kentucky All-Star Team to a pair of victories over Indiana in the annual All-Star series. Following his coaching days, McLane became an accomplished basketball analyst, spending nine years as a radio and television commentator covering the Sweet 16.

Don Parson

Don Parson, a native of Lily, Kentucky, was a guard on the WKU men’s basketball team from 1957-60, playing under legendary coach E.A. Diddle. During his collegiate career, Parson played in 53 games, averaging 11.0 points and 2.8 rebounds per game while shooting 45% from the field. He played a pivotal role on the team that secured coach Diddle’s 700th career win in 1959 and was honored with an All-OVC selection during the 1959–60 season.

After graduating from WKU, Parson chose coaching as his profession. He began at Calhoun High School where he spent seven seasons as head coach of the boys’ basketball team before accepting the head coaching job at Madisonville High School in 1967. He spent over 30 years at Madisonville and retired in 1998. Over 38 years of coaching, Parson’s teams won 706 games, including seven regional titles and his 1984 Madisonville team recorded a 32-2 record, losing to eventual state champion Logan County by two points. His coaching record ranks No. 11 on the Kentucky all-time list for winningest coaches.

Natalie Powers

Natalie Powers (Payne), a native of Owensboro, was a member of the Lady Topper basketball team from 1998-2002. Powers was inducted into the WKU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2023. She was named to the Sun Belt Conference All-Time Team on the league’s 30th anniversary in 2006 and was a two-time All-SBC first team pick (2001 and 2002) and a member of the 2000 SBC All-Tournament Team. Powers completed her career at WKU ranked sixth on the list of Lady Topper 1,000-point scorers with 1,641 points and she remains 13th on that list now. One of the top career shooters in WKU history, she connected on 168 3-pointers which was the third most in program history at the time and is still eighth currently. She shot 38.3% from 3-point range which was fourth at the time of her exit and is sixth now.

She made 461 free throws during her time at WKU the second most of any Lady Topper at the time (fourth now) and shot a then school record 83.4% from the free-throw line (now fourth). She finished her career with an average of 30.3 minutes played per game, the school record at the time. The 736 points she scored in 2001 was a Lady Topper record (and is still the fourth best in the books, as is her 22.3 scoring average that season). Powers’ 87.4 free throw percentage her senior year remains the best ever for a Lady Topper. All four of her Lady Topper teams made post-season tournament appearances (1998 and 2000 in the NCAA; and 2001 and 2002 in the WNIT).

She started every game during her four years at Apollo High School. She set eight school records during her playing career. She scored 2,497 career points in high school and dished out 560 assists. An all-around player, she led the Eagles to a new level of achievement, winning three consecutive regional titles in 1995, 1996 and 1997. Natalie was a two-time all-state performer and was named to the Sweet 16 All-Tournament Team three consecutive years.