SFA inducts former head basketball coach into Ladyjack Hall of Fame
By: Tiara Jefferson
Issue date: 12/4/08 Section: News
Former SFA women's head basketball coach Gary Blair was inducted into the Ladyjack Hall of Fame Tuesday night in the William R. Johnson Coliseum. The ceremony took place during halftime of the Ladyjack game against Texas A&M, the team Blair currently coaches.
Blair took over the SFA women's basketball program for the 1985-86 season and had the opportunity to rebuild the team after two years of struggling seasons. The Ladyjacks won 16 games during his inaugural season and followed with a 25-6 campaign a year later.
He guided SFA to seven 20-win seasons, one 30-win campaign, six consecutive Southland Conference titles, six NCAA Championship appearances, six top-20 national rankings, four Sweet 16 appearances, two top-10 national ranking and one WNIT berth. Blair won 210 games during his time as the Ladyjacks' head coach and still stands as the school's all-time winningest coach in terms of winning percentages.
Blair left SFA following the 1992-93 season to be the head coach at Arkansas, where he lead the Lady Razorbacks back to the national stage.
He has had similar success in College Station, where he took over the women's basketball program in 2003. His Texas A&M Aggies enter the 2008-09 campaign ranked as high as fifth in the nation.
Robert Hill, SFA director of athletics, said "This is an opportunity for SFA to honor one of the all-time greats in women's basketball.The late Sue Gunter was a pioneer of the game and built this program during the AIAW days.
"Blair carried the torch as women's athletics entered the NCAA, and he helped make SFA the most dominant team in the Southland Conference and one of the top programs in the nation," he said.
Blair took over the SFA women's basketball program for the 1985-86 season and had the opportunity to rebuild the team after two years of struggling seasons. The Ladyjacks won 16 games during his inaugural season and followed with a 25-6 campaign a year later.
He guided SFA to seven 20-win seasons, one 30-win campaign, six consecutive Southland Conference titles, six NCAA Championship appearances, six top-20 national rankings, four Sweet 16 appearances, two top-10 national ranking and one WNIT berth. Blair won 210 games during his time as the Ladyjacks' head coach and still stands as the school's all-time winningest coach in terms of winning percentages.
Blair left SFA following the 1992-93 season to be the head coach at Arkansas, where he lead the Lady Razorbacks back to the national stage.
He has had similar success in College Station, where he took over the women's basketball program in 2003. His Texas A&M Aggies enter the 2008-09 campaign ranked as high as fifth in the nation.
Robert Hill, SFA director of athletics, said "This is an opportunity for SFA to honor one of the all-time greats in women's basketball.The late Sue Gunter was a pioneer of the game and built this program during the AIAW days.
"Blair carried the torch as women's athletics entered the NCAA, and he helped make SFA the most dominant team in the Southland Conference and one of the top programs in the nation," he said.
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