Sue Gunter Honored by WBCA
3/27/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
March 27, 2006
ATLANTA, Ga. - The Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) named the late Sue Gunter as the recipient of the 2006 Jostens-Berenson Service Award, which recognizes Gunter's lifelong commitment to women's basketball. The former Stephen F. Austin Ladyjack head basketball coach recorded a 266-88 (.751) overall record during her time in Nacogdoches.
"Sue Gunter has made so many contributions to enhance women's athletics and is a true pioneer of the game," said WBCA CEO Beth Bass. "We are honored as an association to recognize the late Sue Gunter as the recipient of the 2006 Jostens-Berenson Service Award."
Gunter guided SFA to five AIAW national tournaments (1972, 1973, 1976, 1978 and 1980) and won four state titles. Gunter is still the school's all-time winningest coach (266 wins).
Gunter spent the final 22 seasons of her career at LSU, where she won 442 games. Gunter guided the Tigers to 14 NCAA Tournament appearances, one NCAA® Women's Final Four®, four Elite Eight appearances, eight NCAA Sweet 16 appearances, two SEC Tournament titles and a Women's NIT title. She was named the SEC Coach of the Year in 1997 and 1999. Gunter retired from the game as the third all-time winningest coach with 708 career victories.
Gunter's success stretched beyond the collegiate game and into the international scene. Gunter coached the U.S. National team in 1976, 1978 and 1980. She served as an assistant coach on the 1976 U.S. Olympic silver medal team, before being named head coach of the 1980 U.S. Olympic team.
Gunter was a 2000 inductee into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame and a 2005 inductee into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.
"Jostens is pleased to honor such a deserving recipient for her lifelong dedication and loyalty to women's basketball," said Nicole Olson, Jostens Championship Sales and Marketing Manager. "It is our honor to commemorate Sue's spirit, character and achievement through the Jostens-Berenson Service Award. We eagerly commend her lifetime of contributions to further women's athletics."
The award, sponsored by Jostens, is named in honor of the late Senda Berenson, who in her role as a physical education instructor at Smith College in Northampton, Mass., introduced "basketball" to her female gym students in 1892. This introduction marked the birth of the women's game, which occurred the year following basketball's invention by Dr. James Naismith in Springfield, Mass.
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