Sue Gunter

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Sue Gunter (May 22, 1939-August 4, 2005) was a women's college basketball coach.

She is best known for being Head Coach of the women's basketball team at Louisiana State University (LSU) for 22 seasons (1982-2004), and led LSU to 14 NCAA tournament berths, including one Final Four appearance.

She began her coaching career at Middle Tennessee State University from 1962 to 1964. Afterwards, she spent 16 seasons coaching at Stephen F. Austin University from 1964 to 1980.

She was twice named the SEC's Coach of the Year in 1997 and 1999, and won an NIT title in 1985.

Gunter was named to coach the 1980 U.S. Olympic team but the games were boycotted by the United States. She was an assistant coach on the silver medal-winning 1976 team.

In 2000, she was elected to the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, located in Knoxville, Tennessee.

In the middle of the 2003-04 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, Dana "Pokey" Chatman, was named interim 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. Chatman was later formally named Head Coach of LSU.

Upon her retirement, Gunter ranked as the third-winningest coach in women's NCAA basketball history with 708 career victories. Only Jody Conradt and Pat Summitt have more victories than Gunter.

On April 4, 2005, Gunter was elected into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts. She was formally enshrined in September 2005.

She passed away at her home in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on August 4, 2005, due to respiratory problems and emphysema. She was 66.

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