Black student athletes reflect on impact in Lee athletics
Photo by Reily Rogers courtesy of Lee Athletic Communications
Black student athletes have continually made Athletic Department history at Lee, and as the campus becomes more and more diverse, more milestones are being established.
“I am very proud of our Hall of Fame members who excelled during their time at Lee,” said Athletic Director Larry Carpenter of Black student athletes at Lee. “Student athletes such as Mike Linley, Lawanza Crutcher, Lorenzo Withrite, Wendy Rudolph, Dominique Hannah, Emil Brown, Stanley Nyazamba and Ricardo Pierre-Lewis helped pave the way in some sports while others took their teams to greater heights.”
All athletes mentioned by Carpenter have received awards or set records during their time at Lee.
Linley, Class of 1971, was inducted into the Lee Athletic Hall of Fame in 2000. During his time on the men’s basketball team, he set the Lee rebounding record, was named the MVP in the SCAC Tournament in 1971 and received the Presidential Award in the 1970-71 season.
Crutcher, Class of 1981, was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1999 and also played for the men’s basketball team. Crutcher was named NAIA Player of the Week three times during his college career and turned down an NBA offer after graduation to become a high school basketball coach.
Rudolph, Class of 1985 and women’s basketball player, was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1998. She helped lead Lee to the 1985 Women’s NCCAA National Championship, was named MVP in the 1984 and 1985 NCCAA National Tournament and played European professional basketball in Germany after graduation.
Carpenter said Black student athletes helped diversify Lee’s athletic programs in a prominent way.
“I think sports at Lee have contributed to easing the tensions of racial and social integration, and bond the university,'' said Track and Field Associate Head Coach Charnay Ryland.
Although Ryland is one of only few Black coaches at Lee, and the only Black woman in her position, the coach said she is overwhelmed by the university’s support. Ryland said she is honored to be a part of the meaningful changes taking place on campus.
School counseling graduate student Ky’Anna Arthurton is proud to be a Black student athlete as she believes it has given her the platform necessary to invoke change and inclusivity on campus.
“I’ve learned to be a voice. I think being here and being a minority at Lee has given me opportunities to teach other people about my feelings about where I’m coming from and my experience,” said Arthurton. “I think it has brought me out of my comfort zone and I’m able to be uncomfortable and to have uncomfortable conversations.”
Arthurton’s upbringing was diverse. Her family is Caribbean, she went to a predominantly Black high school and is currently the only Black woman on the cheerleading team.
Ryland and Arthurton both believe Lee has improved on their overall diversity, but agree the community can always be improved by implementing more ethnic representation among staff and faculty on campus.
“I think having the Black Student Union and letting it grow, and even having events that they invite people who aren’t Black to so they can learn, and having that new racial and ethnic position with Gloria Scott-Richmand — I think is amazing,” said Arthurton. “I think they’re on the right track, but I definitely think there's still room for more growth.”
Ryland believes the accomplishments Black student athletes have achieved in sports at Lee have paved the way for the university’s growth in diversity.
“It’s hard to ignore the racial injustice we, as African Americans, have to face every day in the world, but Lee’s sports is one of the places in our minority student athletes’ lives where they have an even playing field and the color of their skin doesn’t matter,” said Ryland. “I believe the barriers our African American athletes are breaking and the milestones minority groups are reaching are really setting the tone in athletics at Lee.”
Arthurton wants to educate anybody who may have questions about Black history or culture.
“I just think being open to answering questions is a big thing because I think a lot of people get offended by questions that people ask,” said Arthurton. “I think sometimes people ask questions out of curiosity, and my biggest thing is I’d rather you be willing to ask uncomfortable questions than live in ignorant bliss. So, I’m always welcome to answer questions and I absolutely love to educate all the people on my team and anybody I know.”
In addition to observing Black History Month, Ryland is also an advocate for celebrating the uniqueness and significance of diversity year-round. Ryland believes maintaining an open dialogue on racial and ethnic issues is vital to our community.
Ryland says diversity contributes to culture. She believes “student-athletes learning to accept, appreciate, recognize, collaborate and acknowledge differences among each other are the greatest success you can have in a program; that leaves a mark on history and opens the door for history to continue being made. I think it’s important for the general population, even outside of African Americans, to understand, just because I think that’s how we grow as a society, as a community and just as a nation as a whole. I think it’s something we should talk about because I think understanding promotes growth and growth promotes change.”
PJay Smith, a freshman business management major and basketball team member, also believes education is important.
“I’m glad we have a month to highlight Black excellence for the people that may not be educated on it,” said Smith.
For more information about sports at Lee, visit leeuflames.com.
Kristen Blevins is the Lee Clarion Sports Editor and part of the women’s Track and Field team.
