Rhodes Athletic Hall of Fame
When women’s sports emerged at Southwestern in the early ‘70s, NCAA or conference championship opportunities didn’t exist for players at that time. Women’s teams traveled in rickety old school station wagons or vans and they stayed in some really awful hotels. This didn’t stop Susan Clark from dedicating herself to her teammates and coaches. As Susan explains, “We had a lot of pride in our accomplishments and we loved every minute of it!”
Susan Clark played volleyball, basketball and tennis for the Lynx. In volleyball, the team competed against Middle Tennessee, Houston, Tennessee, UT-Chattanooga and Memphis State. Through Southwestern only had a team for a few years then, the Lynx played in the finals at Murray State before losing to the Racers.
When asked who was the best basketball player she ever played against, Susan said, Pat Head Summit, a member of the gold medal Olympic team and now the great coach at Tennessee. Ranking close to that memory was eating barbecue and onion rings at The Hut in Jackson after games against Lambuth and Jackson State Community College.
Hall of Fame Coach Camille Deaderick was the force behind establishing Southwestern’s volleyball, basketball and tennis teams. When asked who were the top two athletes who competed on those first women’s teams in the early ‘70s, she answered without hesitation, “Cherry Falls and Susan Clark.” On the tennis court, Susan was the team’s #1 singles player.
Susan and her basketball teammates dubbed themselves the “Southwestern Superstars” for the snazzy uniforms they purchased themselves at the bookstore. Susan Clark is still a superstar at Rhodes College. Because of her commitment and dedication, today’s women athletes at Rhodes have the opportunity to play for NCAA and conference championships. We are proud to induct Susan McEwen Clark into the Rhodes Athletic Hall of Fame this 20th day of October, 2006.
