Sue Gunter
1697019
211152406
2008-05-09T00:04:52Z
68.106.175.37
'''Sue Gunter''' ([[May 22]], [[1939]], [[Walnut Grove, Mississippi|Walnut Grove]], [[Mississippi]], [[United States|USA]] - [[August 4]],[[2005]], [[Baton Rouge, Louisiana|Baton Rouge]], [[Louisiana]], [[United States|USA]]) was a women's college [[basketball]] coach. She is best known as the head coach of the [[LSU Lady Tigers basketball]] team.
In Gunter's 22 years as the head coach at [[Louisiana State University|LSU]] ([[1982]]-[[2004]]), the Lady Tigers played in 14 [[NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship|NCAA Tournaments]] and two [[Women's National Invitation Tournament|WNITs]]. Gunter led [[Louisiana State University|LSU]] to one [[Final Four]] in [[2004]] and to the [[Elite Eight]] in [[1986]], [[2000]] and [[2003]]. She lead the Lady Tigers to a championship at the [[Women's National Invitation Tournament|WNIT]] in [[1985]] and to [[Southeastern Conference|SEC]] Tournament Championships in [[1991]] and [[2003]]. In addition, Gunter directed LSU to 14 seasons of 20 or more wins, including one 30-win season.
In the middle of the [[2003]]-[[2004]] season, she became ill and took a medical leave of absence in [[March 2004]]. She was later diagnosed as having [[emphysema]] and [[pneumonia]]. Gunter's longtime assistant coach and former player, [[Pokey Chatman|Dana "Pokey" Chatman]], was named acting head coach of LSU for the rest of the season. After the season, Gunter, who had been battling respiratory problems and [[chronic bronchitis]] for years, officially announced her retirement on [[April 2004]]. [[Pokey Chatman|Chatman]] was later formally named head coach of LSU.
Gunter began her coaching career at [[Middle Tennessee State University]] where she led the Blue Raiders to undefeated seasons in both of her years there ([[1962]]-[[1964]]). Gunter then had a very successful coaching stint at [[Stephen F. Austin State University]] (SFA) in Nacogdoches, Texas. While at [[Stephen F. Austin State University|SFA]], Gunter led the LadyJacks to a 266-87 mark in 16 years as head coach ([[1964]]-[[1980]]). In addition, she led [[Stephen F. Austin State University|SFA]] to four top 10 national rankings, including top 5 final rankings in [[1979]] and [[1980]]. While at [[Stephen F. Austin State University|SFA]], Gunter coached four sports - women's basketball, softball, tennis and track. Her basketball teams went to five [[Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women]] (AIAW) playoffs, won four state titles, and earned a regional crown. In 1980, she stepped down as coach at [[Stephen F. Austin State University|SFA]] and moved into the position of Director of Women's Athletics where she served two years before returning to the coaching ranks at [[Louisiana State University|LSU]].
Gunter completed her career as the third winningest women's basketball coach in [[National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA]] history with an overall record of 708-308 (behind only [[Jody Conradt]] and [[Pat Summitt]]). Gunter's [[Louisiana State University|LSU]] record was 442-221, making her the winningest coach in school history. She completed her career among the leaders in several [[National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA]] coaching categories: seasons coached (No. 1 - 40); games coached (No. 3 - 1,016); wins (No. 3 - 708); and 20-win seasons (No. 4 - 22).
A fine player in her own right, Gunter played [[Amateur Athletic Union|AAU]] basketball for Nashville Business College from [[1958]]-[[1962]] earning [[Amateur Athletic Union|AAU]] [[All-America]] honors in [[1960]]. She was also a member of the U.S. National Team, which competed against the [[Soviet Union]], from [[1960]]-[[1962]].
In [[1980]], Gunter was selected as the head women's basketball coach for the [[1980 Summer Olympics|United States Olympic Team]]. Gunter guided her team to the title at the Olympic Qualifying Tournament prior to the Games. However, Gunter and her team were denied a chance at a [[gold medal]] due to the United States' [[American-led boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics|boycott]] of the Olympic Games, which were held in [[Moscow]] that year.
Gunter tasted success at the [[Olympic Games|Olympics]], however, as she was an assistant coach on the [[1976 Summer Olympics|1976]] U. S. Team which captured the [[silver medal]] in [[Montreal]]. She has also served as head coach for the U.S. National Team three times, as she led those squads in [[1976]], [[1978]] and [[1980]].
While at [[Louisiana State University|LSU]], Gunter was named the [[Southeastern Conference|SEC]]'s Coach of the Year in [[1997]] and [[1999]]. She was also the Converse Region IV Coach of the Year in [[1983]]; the Basketball News National Coach of the Year in [[1983]]; the Louisiana Coach of the Year in [[1983]], [[1997]], [[2002]], and [[2003]]; the Carol Eckman Award recipient in [[1994]]; and the Women’s Basketball Coaches' Association (WBCA) Regional Coach of the Year in [[1999]] and [[2003]].
In [[2000]], she was elected to the [[Women's Basketball Hall of Fame]], located in [[Knoxville, Tennessee]]. On [[April 4]], [[2005]], Gunter was elected into the [[Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame]] in [[Springfield, Massachusetts]]. She was formally enshrined posthumously in [[September 2005]].
Gunter died at her home in [[Baton Rouge, Louisiana]] on [[August 4]], [[2005]], due to respiratory problems and [[emphysema]]. She was 66.
==Collegiate Head Coaching Record==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Season
! Team
! Record
! Postseason
|-
| 1962-1964
| Middle Tennessee State
| 44-0 (Not Recognized by NCAA)
|
|-
| 1964-1980
| Stephen F. Austin
| 266-87
| 5 AIAW Tournament Appearances
|-
| 1982-1983
| LSU
| 20-7
|
|-
| 1983-1984
| LSU
| 23-7
| NCAA Sweet Sixteen
|-
| 1984-1985
| LSU
| 20-9
| Women's NIT Champions
|-
| 1985-1986
| LSU
| 27-6
| SEC Tournament Runner-Up/NCAA Elite Eight
|-
| 1986-1987
| LSU
| 20-8
| NCAA Second Round
|-
| 1987-1988
| LSU
| 18-11
| NCAA First Round
|-
| 1988-1989
| LSU
| 19-11
| NCAA Sweet Sixteen
|-
| 1989-1990
| LSU
| 21-9
| NCAA First Round
|-
| 1990-1991
| LSU
| 24-7
| SEC Tournament Champions/NCAA Second Round
|-
| 1991-1992
| LSU
| 16-13
|
|-
| 1992-1993
| LSU
| 9-18
|
|-
| 1993-1994
| LSU
| 11-16
|
|-
| 1994-1995
| LSU
| 7-20
|
|-
| 1995-1996
| LSU
| 21-11
| Women's NIT Third Place
|-
| 1996-1997
| LSU
| 25-5
| NCAA Sweet Sixteen
|-
| 1997-1998
| LSU
| 19-13
| Women's NIT Semifinals
|-
| 1998-1999
| LSU
| 22-8
| NCAA Sweet Sixteen
|-
| 1999-2000
| LSU
| 25-7
| NCAA Elite Eight
|-
| 2000-2001
| LSU
| 20-11
| NCAA Second Round
|-
| 2001-2002
| LSU
| 18-12
| SEC Tournament Runner-Up/NCAA Second Round
|-
| 2002-2003
| LSU
| 30-4
| SEC Tournament Champions/NCAA Elite Eight
|-
| 2003-2004
| LSU
| 27-8
| NCAA Final Four
|-
| colspan="2" | <center>'''TOTAL'''</center>
| 708-308
|
|}
{{start box}}
{{succession box | title=[[Louisiana State University|LSU Lady Tigers Head Basketball Coach]] | before=[[Barbara Swanner]] | years=[[1982]]-[[2004]]| after=[[Pokey Chatman]]
}}
{{end box}}
==External links==
*[http://www.wbhof.com/2000.htm Women's Basketball Hall of Fame Profile]
*[http://www.hoophall.com/events/enshrinement05/gunter.htm Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Profile]
*[http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/wire?section=ncw&id=2124347 Obituary and Tribute on ESPN.com]
{{LSUWBBCoaches}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gunter, Sue}}
[[Category:1939 births]]
[[Category:2005 deaths]]
[[Category:American basketball coaches]]
[[Category:Basketball Hall of Fame]]
[[Category:Deaths from emphysema]]
[[Category:LSU Lady Tigers basketball coaches]]
[[Category:People from Baton Rouge, Louisiana]]
[[Category:Women's Basketball Hall of Fame]]
[[de:Sue Gunter]]