MDC WOMEN’S BASKETBALL COACH BECOMES FIRST COMMUNITY COLLEGE
PROFESSOR TO BE NAMED TO
TOP 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL SPORTS EDUCATORS IN AMERICA LIST
Miami, November 12, 2007 – Susan Summons began her career at Miami Dade College more than two decades ago when she took over the MDC Kendall Campus Women’s Basketball program. Back then, she never imagined that one day she would be named a Top 100 Most Influential Sports Educators in America.
“I am so pleased and honored to be acknowledged by such a reputable national organization such as the Institute for International Sports for my work both as a coach and an educator,” said Summons.
Summons is the first community college sports educator to be honored in the Top 100. She has served as head coach of Women’s Basketball and has been an associate professor at Miami Dade College for 22 years. Under her leadership, the MDC Lady Sharks team has made 17 trips to the Florida Community College Athletic Association State Championships and holds one of the highest student graduation and placement rates in the nation – an impressive 93 percent.
As a Top 100 member, Summons will receive a gold-engraved Certificate of Authenticity for her dedication as a sports educator and have a tribute posted on the Institute for International Sports Website. Additionally, she will be invited to participate in a symposium and will be joined by other notable sports celebrities such as Tiger Woods, Andre Agassi and Alonzo Mourning.
The rise to excellence has been a steady climb for Summons, who began her playing career at Jeremiah Burke High School in Boston, where she was voted Athlete of the Year in 1974 and 1975. At Roxbury Community School, Summons earned All-State, All-Region and All-National honors while leading the team to back-to-back National Tournament wins.
The Massachusetts native also attended Lamar University in Texas, where she set a record for scoring 43.0 points in a single game and became one of the first African-American student-athletes to have her portrait bronze-plated and hung in the famous Babe Zaharias Museum in Texas.
Summons, also a United States Olympic Sports Festival finalist, was drafted in the third round of the Women’s Basketball League (WBL) by the New Jersey Gems in 1980. She later played for the New England Gulls under NBA Boston Celtics legend Jim Loskutoff and scored 18 points in her rookie season in an upset win against WBL champs the Nebraska Wranglers.
During her extensive career, Summons has been repeatedly recognized for her commitment to sports education. She has been named Southern Conference Coach of the year three times, Regional Coach of the Year in 2006 and National Coach of the Year in 1993, among many other awards.
These days, Summons is helping others reach their goals as a motivational speaker and founder of the Best of the Rest Stars, Inc., a non-profit organization that provides education training for boys and girls. In addition, she is working on a book, not yet titled, focusing on life skills and success strategies.
Media-only contacts: Juan Mendieta, MDC communications director, 305-237-7611, jmendiet@mdc.edu; Beverly C. Rodrigues, MDC media relations director, 305-237-3949, brodrigu@mdc.edu or Sue Arrowsmith, 305-237-3710, sue.arrowsmith@mdc.edu. Other MDC news releases are available on the web at www.mdc.edu.