U.S. Ski Team Adds 3 To U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame

The votes are in and the U. S. Olympic Committee (USOC) has announced that U.S. Ski Team's, three time Olympian Picabo Street, four time Paralympian Sarah Will, and skiing legend Andrea Mead Lawrence will be members of the Class of 2009, the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame presented by Allstate.

"Andrea, Picabo and Sarah are three of the greatest ski racers of all time," said USSA President and CEO Bill Marolt. "Their accomplishments as athletes have inspired generations of aspiring Olympians. It is a great honor for them, as well as for our sport, to be recognized in the Olympic Hall of Fame."

Nominees for the Class of 2009 were selected by a seven-person nominating committee consisting of Olympians, members of the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame, an NGB executive director, and a USOC representative.

As I announced here fan votes could be submitted at www.teamusa.org. Fan votes numbered more than 112,000 votes cast during the voting period and played an important role in the selection process. In fact, the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame is the only national sports hall of fame that uses fan voting as part of its selection process.

Andrea Mead Lawrence will be inducted through the veteran category. Andrea skied at three Olympic Winter Games, including the 1952 Oslo Games where she won gold medals in slalom and giant slalom.

The U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame Class of 2009 will be formally introduced and honored August 12 at a banquet-style induction ceremony at McCormick Place in Chicago. The induction ceremony will air in a nationally-televised broadcast on NBC on September 5 at 2:00 p.m. ET.

Everyone who took the time to cast your votes for Picabo and Sarah can pat yourself on the back and take great pride in getting two great athletes recognized forever in the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame.

_{Picabo Street photo © Mike Powell/Getty Images}