SEATTLE (July 18) ­ Seattle Pacific University cross country coach Doris Heritage will be among six "Women of Inspiration" to be honored by the Seattle Storm during an upcoming home game.

Heritage, a pioneer in women's distance running, won five consecutive world cross country championships from 1967-71. She also held numerous U.S. and world records and was a member of two Olympic teams.

The other honorees are Patricia Barker, retired prima ballerina with Pacific Northwest Ballet; Bonnie Dunbar, Ph.D., president and CEO of The Museum of Flight and retired NASA Astronaut; Rosa Franklin, Washington State Senator and member of the Washington State Nurses Association Hall of Fame; Sally Jewell, president and CEO of REI; and Courtney Thompson, member of the NCAA Champion UW women's volleyball team.

There is a special halftime ceremony at the Storm's July 27 game vs. Indiana. Presenting the nominees with their awards will be Seattle's chief operating officer, Karen Bryant.

Heritage and her fellow honorees share characteristics of being inspirational, ambitious and passionate, and are helping to create positive change within their communities, according to the Storm.

Each of the honorees will be profiled at storm.wnba.com prior to July 27. The Storm Web site will also include vignettes from current Seattle players discussing the women that have been most inspirational to them as well as a list of last year's five inaugural "Women of Inspiration" honorees.