Andrea Hudson says final goodbye to Lee after 30 years
Photo by Reily Rogers courtesy of Lee Athletic Communications
After serving as the head volleyball coach for 30 years, Andrea Hudson is officially retiring from Lee University.
Hudson amassed 843 wins with only 348 losses during her time as a coach.
Lee’s Athletic Director, Larry Carpenter, is a close friend of Hudson’s and has known her for 44 years.
“She’s a hard worker. She has a wonderful heart, and it goes a long way. She was a very good coach, but she also cared about her athletes, and so she went the extra mile to make sure that whatever’s going on in their lives she would be able to offer some support and help,” said Carpenter. “Whatever needs to be done, she’s always willing to help out whether it’s in her area or not, it doesn’t matter. She’ll walk in and say, ‘what can I do to help you?’ She understands Lee’s culture, and she understands the importance of how well we do things. She’s been a great coach, a great staff member, an administrator and also a dear friend.”
Carpenter said Hudson brought national prominence to Lee’s volleyball team by going to the final four, three consecutive years in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics.
Lee made its first trip to the NAIA National semifinals in 2009 under the direction of Hudson and repeated the accomplishment in 2010 and 2011. The Lady Flames earned another program-first in 2010, reaching the No.1 ranking in the NAIA. Hudson was named the Southern States Athletic Conference Volleyball Coach of the Year in 2010, her fifth conference award to go with three Region Coach of the Year honors.
While serving as the Senior Women’s Administrator, Hudson started Volley For A Cure to raise money for cancer research.
“She knows a lot of people in the community, so she’s done an excellent job of getting Lee's name out there both in the Cleveland and Chattanooga area,” said Carpenter. “Not only for volleyball, but she’s made a huge impact in athletics because she has been here throughout the growth from 30 years. She’s been here when we’ve seen tremendous growth.”
Carpenter said Hudson has always been consistent and heavily involved in Lee’s success. Carpenter said he is sad to see her go but is excited about her future.
“She’s been such a good friend and colleague, and we’ll certainly miss her. I will miss the day-to-day interaction and close friendship. We’ll always be friends,” said Carpenter.
Carpenter says many of Hudson’s former players visit Lee specifically to see her, which he believes is a testament to her character as a coach and mentor.
Former volleyball player and current assistant volleyball coach, Silvia Sartori, worked under Hudson for a year.
“We weren’t just players; we were more than that. I knew I could always come to her office and talk to her about anything and everything, even now,” said Sartori. “She’s one of those people that I can call anytime, and she’ll always be there for me to listen and give the best advice.”
Sartori, originally from Serbia, played under Hudson’s leadership for five years. Sartori said Hudson’s welcoming personality made Lee feel like a second home.
“In situations where she needed to be hard, she was able to do that, but then in other instances where she just needed to let you cry, she was there too,” said Sartori. “I love that about her. She was great at both of those; to know when to be what.”
As she prepares for the future, Hudson said she hopes she had an impact on her players.
“If anything, I want to be remembered for helping girls not only develop athletically but develop spiritually. That was a big emphasis when I coached — that they knew how to walk with God, and they saw my walk with God and they would want to emulate that,” said Hudson.
Over the years, Hudson said she has been blessed to work in a place where people love and respect each other.
“I’m just so grateful for all the people at Lee that have always loved me for who I am and supported me. Dr. Conn gave me a job and he trusted me, and so I'm forever grateful to him and all the administrators here; they're just good people,” said Hudson. “I’m just so blessed to have worked in an environment where I can’t say a harsh word about a person. Everybody cares for each other here. Most people don’t work as long in one place as I have, so I’m glad that I felt like I could be here that long. I’m so grateful for Lee.”
Hudson hopes to continue serving and coaching in the future. She plans to become involved with the public school system.
Lee held a farewell reception for Hudson on March 31 to honor her and her accomplishments over the last 30 years.
