ATLANTA — Sue Gunter, head coach of the LSU Lady Tigers basketball team, was named the Russell Athletic/Women’s Basketball Coaches Association 2003 Regional Coach of the Year for Region 3, it was announced by the WBCA on Thursday.
Gunter, in her 21st season at LSU, has led the Lady Tigers to a 27-3 record and a No. 3 national ranking. LSU, which never fell below No. 6 in the rankings all season, won its first Southeastern Conference Tournament title in 13 years and have won the most games in a season under Gunter. The Lady Tigers also finished second in the SEC with an 11-3 record.
The WBCA selected a Regional Coach of the Year for the eight regions, all of which are finalists for the Russell Athletic/WBCA National Coach of the Year. The winner will be honored at a luncheon on April 7 in Atlanta.
Gunter joins UConn’s Geno Auriemma (Region 1), Duke’s Gail Goestenkors (Region 2), UNC Charlotte’s Katie Meier (Region 4), Kansas State’s Debbie Patterson (Region 5), Wisconsin-Green Bay’s Kevin Borseth (Region 6), Weber State’s Carla Taylor (Region 7) and UCSB’s Mark French (Region 8) as the winners of the Regional Coach of the Year honors.
The third-ranked Lady Tigers begin the NCAA Tournament next weekend. LSU will find out whom, when and where they will play on Sunday at 4 p.m. CST when the NCAA selection committee announces the bracket of 64 teams.