President Bush Honors Lady Bears At White House

WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 20, 2005) -- President George W. Bush honored the NCAA champion Baylor Lady Bears basketball team on Wednesday, July 20, at the White House.

The president joined the team for a brief ceremony and photo opportunity in the Rose Garden, where he was presented with a special gift from senior Chelsea Whitaker - a commemorative Dr Pepper bottle celebrating Baylor's national championship. President Bush then invited head coach Kim Mulkey and the team into the Oval Office.

Following the visit with the president, Baylor players, coaches and other members of the traveling party attended a Baylor Network event in the Indian Treaty Room in the East Wing of the old Executive Office Building. The event was attended by several Texas elected officials, including U.S. Rep. Chet Edwards of Waco, U.S. Rep. Louis Gohmert, JD '77, of Tyler, U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, Rep. Ernest Istook, BA '71, of Oklahoma, and U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee of Houston. Other attendees included Karl Rove, assistant to President Bush, Baylor dignitaries and several Baylor graduates currently living and working in Washington, D.C.

The team also toured the White House and received a personal tour of the U.S. Capitol led by Rep. Gohmert, a Baylor Law alumnus.