University of Vermont Athletic Hall of Fame
Sue Duke 1994 - Softball
A three-time captain and one of the top hitters in UVM softball history, Sue Duke, a 2004 UVM Hall of Fame inductee, won the 1994 Semans Trophy, given annually to the senior student-athletes who best exemplify the qualities of leadership, loyalty and service during their undergraduate career. A .404 hitter for four years, Duke finished her career as the all-time leader in that category. In her senior year, Duke had the greatest single season in Vermont softball history, hitting .481, fifth in the nation, while recording 62 hits, driving in 43 runs with 18 doubles and seven triples. She ranked first in each category in the UVM softball record book and her 18 doubles (0.46 2B per game) ranked first nationally and remains in the top 20 all-time in NCAA history. She was also ninth in the nation in both triples and RBI in 1994.
A native of Barre, Vt., Duke finished her career as UVM's all-time leader in hits (141) and RBI (87) while ranking second all-time in doubles (34) and third in triples (13). In her four years, the Catamounts had a record of 72-62. During her career, Duke overcame five knee operations, including complete reconstructions on each knee. As a freshman, she played on the best softball team in school history in 1990, a squad that went 27-13. As a sophomore, Duke was 19th nationally in RBI (25 in 31 games) and 20th in hitting (.406). In 1994, Duke was named to the All-North Atlantic Conference (now America East) and All-New England First-Teams, and the All-Northeast Region and All-ECAC Second-Teams. She was also named to the NAC All-Championship Team in 1993 and was a member of the NAC Academic Honor Roll that season as well. "Sue Duke is the best hitter I have ever coached," said her coach, Pam Childs. "She has an amazing ability to lead people and make them feel important and cared about. She was a three-year captain, I think the only one in UVM softball history. She also approached the game and her at-bats in a unique way. She saw every game as an opportunity to achieve and challenge herself. She always kept the fun in the game for herself."
Duke, at UVM and after graduation, was heavily involved in many community service projects including Habitat for Humanity in Ghana, and programs in the U.S. to help fight childhood hunger, homelessness and illiteracy.
