While showcasing a career in Macon that has spanned nearly 1-1/2 decades and includes nearly 250 career victories at the helm of Mercer’s women’s basketball program, Susie Gardner informed her team on Saturday morning that she has resigned her position as head coach to pursue other coaching opportunities.
“I would like to thank Mercer University, specifically President Underwood, Jim Cole and Sybil Blalock, for believing in my vision for the women’s basketball program 14 years ago,” Gardner said. “We won some championships, but I am most thankful for the friendships that I made along the way. We had an amazing run with our success and I am very proud of that. I also tried to represent this university in the Macon community every day of my life. I hope I made you proud.”
Gardner, who put the finishing touches on her 14th season as MU”s skipper in Friday’s Southern Conference Tournament semifinal against top-seeded Chattanooga, compiled a 247-189 (.567) record in 14 seasons (2010-24) as head coach of the Bears – a span that is highlighted by nine SoCon championships and seven postseason appearances, including three NCAA Tournament berths.
The enthusiastic mentor became MU basketball’s – men or women – all-time winningest coach on Dec. 4, 2022, with a 64-46 home victory over South Alabama. That result moved her past former men’s coach Bill Bibb (1974-89) for top coaching laurels regardless of gender. She logged her 195th win on the sidelines at Mercer on March 4, 2021, to become the women’s program’s all-time winningest coach.
“Mercer will be forever indebted to Susie Gardner for the incredible impact that she had on our student-athletes, both on and off of the court, over the course of her 14-year career here in Macon,” said Mercer Athletics Director Jim Cole. “She has made significant contributions to the sport of women’s basketball, and we could not be more proud of all of her accomplishments.
“I have learned so much from Susie. Her attention to detail, her work ethic and her desire to win are second to none. I am going to truly miss the day-to-day intensity that she brought with her to work. A nationwide search will begin immediately to identify the next leader of our women’s basketball program.”
Gardner’s teams amassed 20-plus wins six times under her leadership, including a run of five-straight seasons with 20 or more wins from 2014-19. Mercer compiled a 30-3 record in 2017-18 on the way to claiming both the SoCon regular season and tournament titles. That squad put together a school record 27-game win streak before falling to then-No. 4 Georgia, 68-63, in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.
Mercer has boasted a plethora of individual accomplishments under Gardner’s watch as well, including four SoCon Players of the Year, three SoCon Freshmen of the Year and four SoCon Defensive Player of the Year honorees. The list of individual accolades also includes 25 all-conference recognitions and seven SoCon All-Freshman Team nods. Mercer has excelled in the classroom as well over the last 14 seasons as evidenced by 73 SoCon Academic Honor Roll/All-Academic Team recognitions.
The enthusiastic mentor has also been named SoCon Coach of the Year four times (2015-16, 2017-18, 2018-19, 2021-22).
“Coach Gardner embodies what it means to be a Mercer Bear and she is a true leader both on and off of the court,” said Chief Operating Officer and Senior Woman Administrator Sybil Blalock. “I have been extremely fortunate to work alongside her for the last 14 years. She’s a great coach, but an even better person who makes everybody around her better.
“The success that she has had in leading our women’s basketball team to national prominence, as well as her team’s accomplishments in the classroom and in the Macon community, will be sorely missed. I wish her nothing but the best in whatever she chooses for the next chapter of her career.”
Gardner had two previous stops as a head coach at NCAA Division I institutions prior to taking over the reins of MU’s program on June 24, 2010. She began her career as a collegiate head coach at Austin Peay State, guiding the Governors to 112 victories and a trio of NCAA postseason berths from 1996-03. She was named head coach at Arkansas prior to the 2003-04 campaign and led the Lady Razorbacks to 64 victories across four seasons.
A native of Mount Juliet, Tenn., Gardner was a standout student-athlete for Georgia from 1982-86 and has a notable career as an assistant coach as well. Gardner served on the staffs at both San Diego State (1992-95) and Florida (2007-10), but jumpstarted her coaching career as a graduate assistant coach at her alma mater from 1986-88.
