HIGH POINT, N.C. – The High Point University track & field programs are proud to present North Carolina Athletic Directors’ Association Hall of Fame member Sue Shinn (’70) with the 2016 Bob Davidson Award.
“We are so privileged to honor Sue Shinn as the first female recipient of the Bob Davidson Award,” High Point University track & field head coach Mike Esposito said. “Her groundbreaking accomplishments have provided hundreds of girls in the state of North Carolina with the opportunity to excel in athletics and in life. Her legacy in the development of women’s athletics is unparalleled and we are thrilled to present her with this award.”
The Bob Davidson Award is given annually to an individual who has made outstanding contributions to the sport of track & field. Davidson (’55) served as the head coach of track & field at High Point University from 1962-2001 and is a member of the Guilford County and High Point University Athletics Halls of Fame.
Like Davidson, Shinn grew up in the small town of Cambridge City, Ind., where she competed in volleyball, basketball and track & field in high school. A 1970 graduate of HPU, Shinn suited up for the Panthers in volleyball, basketball and field hockey.
Upon graduation, Shinn began her teaching career at Griffin Junior High School, where she started the school’s first interscholastic girls’ teams in volleyball, basketball, softball and track. She also served as athletic director for five years before moving to Andrews High School in High Point in 1980.
At Andrews, Sue coached volleyball (5 years), basketball (16 years), and track (8 years). Her volleyball teams won two conference championships and made four state playoff appearances. In basketball, she coached teams to five conference championships, 11 state playoff appearances, three sectional championships, and two regional championship games.
As the track coach, Sue guided teams to six conference championships, four sectional championships and three regional titles. Her teams placed second, fifth, seventh and ninth in state competition, and 21 young women won individual state titles. In 2001 & 2002 Sue came back to fill in as head track coach for Neal Morris. She guided the men’s team to a state championship and the women’s team to two successive state championships.
As athletic director from 1993-2000, Sue was proud to accept two Wachovia Cup Awards for T.W. Andrews High School and was an ardent supporter of track & field during her time as AD.
Through the years, Sue has been named conference coach of the year 11 times, Region 5 Coach of the year in 1987, and NCHSAA Coach of the year in 1996.
She served as assistant coach at the East/West all-star basketball game in 1988, and in 1997, she coached the first women’s basketball team in the NC/SC all-star game. Sue has also received the NCHSAA Legend Award and a distinguished service award from the North Carolina Athletic Directors’ Association. She was inducted to the NCADA Hall of Fame in 2002.
Shinn is the sixth recipient of the Davidson Award and joins a distinguished list of past honorees.
Bob Davidson Award Recipients
2011 – Bob Davidson
2012 – Bill Webb
2013 – Mickey Dean
2014 – Wayne Jones
2015 – Richard Prince
2016 – Sue Shinn