After 708 victories, 14 NCAA Tournament appearances and 14 seasons of at least 20 wins, the death of former LSU women’s basketball coach Sue Gunter signified the passing of one of the most influential coaches to ever grace the courts.
While Gunter spent 40 years of her life in women’s basketball, accumulating honors that landed her a spot in the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2000 and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2005, it’s not always the statistics that people close to Gunter will remember.
“Sue was one of the most down to earth, kind and gentle person’s I’ve ever been around,” Senior Women’s Administrator Judy Southard said. “And she devoted her entire life to young girls and young women, and obviously she’s left a very positive impact on everyone she’s influenced during her life.”
Southard, the Associate Athletic Director, developed a close relationship with Gunter during their time at LSU.
Born in Walnut Grove, Miss., on May 22, 1939, Gunter’s basketball career began as a guard at Nashville Business College in 1958. After earning a bachelor’s and master’s degree from Peabody College in 1962, Gunter was the head coach at Middle Tennessee State, where she coached the Lady Blue Raiders to two undefeated seasons.
Gunter’s career took off in 1965 when she began coaching at Stephen F. Austin in Nacaghdoches, Texas, accumulating 288 wins in a 16 year period, in addition to four Top 10 finishes.
It was not until 1982 that Gunter arrived at LSU.
It was then in the late 1980s that current LSU women’s basketball coach Pokey Chatman was recruited by Gunter to play at LSU. After putting together a record-breaking career in her four-year span as a point guard, Chatman said she credits Gunter with giving her a chance years ago.
“I opted to finish school, and she offered me a job,” Chatman said. “The rest is history, as I spent nearly 18 years, or half my life, with her.”
After stepping in for Gunter during the 2003-2004 season after serving 13 seasons alongside her, Chatman quickly took the reigns as head coach in guiding LSU to the Women’s Final Four.
“She left the game, but so much of what she brought to the game is there,” Chatman said. “For me, that’s what makes her so unique.”
On Aug. 4, when Gunter passed away, both Chatman and LSU guard Seimone Augustus were in Europe preparing for the upcoming U.S. Olympic World Games. Catching a flight home to bear witness to Gunter’s funeral was something that did not come easy for Augustus.
“It was pretty tough,” Augustus said. “But we knew what we had to do. She’s done so much for us and LSU.”
Despite the two-overseas flights, Chatman and Augustus knew what they had to do next.
“Regardless, we knew she’d want us to come back to Europe and go for the gold,” Augustus said. “While it was shocking when it happened, at the same time we knew what we had to do.”
When it comes to how Gunter will be remembered years down the road, the simplest answer is sometimes the best.
“It was her smile,” Augustus said. “It was the teacher she was, but also the person she was.”
Contact Jeff Sentell at [email protected]