More than a year after leaving her legacy to her successor Pokey Chatman, former head women’s basketball coach Sue Gunter left this earth as a legend to many as well.
Gunter, 66, died at her home in Baton Rouge Thursday morning after a long battle with illnesses.
When Gunter arrived a the University in 1982, she had already led two collegiate teams to successful seasons in the past and participated on the coaching staff in the Olympics assisting one team to a silver medal.
The LSU community witnessed Gunter for 22 years transform the LSU women’s basketball team into a respected organization that sold out the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in her latter years as head coach.
”I was lucky in a sense that I was here with Sue for 17 years – four as a player, 13 as an assistant coach,” Chatman said in an interview prior to Gunter’s death. “I think what’s unique about that is most people leave and go on to better experiences somewhere else, but with Sue she is so established. She is an Olympic coach. She coached Pat Summit. Pat Summit was her assistant. She’s in all these Halls of Fame and she has zero ego so she allows you to grow without leaving.”
When Gunter stepped down in 2004, she had posted a 442-221 record, making her the coach with the most wins in LSU history. Her health did not keep her from witnessing the team she built; two months after handing the reigns over to Chatman, Gunter saw the Lady Tigers reach a Final Four.
Gunter already led past Tigers to three Elite Eights, but the Final Four was a first for the head coach. At the end of the 2004 season, she had achieved numerous honors including most seasons coached (40).
She also placed third in games coached (1,016) and wins (708).
During her years at the University, she received Louisiana Coach of the Year honors and Southeastern Conference Coach of the Year awards several times.
Gunter witnessed one season coached entirely by Chatman. In this season, the Lady Tigers experienced success throughout the year remaining at the top of rankings for most of the season. The team, projected to finally make it to a NCAA championship title game, was cut short by the Baylor Bears in the Final Four.
Sue Gunter was born in Mississippi and was a native of Walnut Grove, Miss. She will return to her home town to be buried next to her parents Lovette Golden Gunter and Ivadean Barham Gunter. She is survived by two aunts, cousins and numerous fans nationwide.
Arrangements for a special visitation service are still pending.
Former women’s basketball coach dies
August 3, 2005