The Minnesota Gopher athletics community is mourning the loss of two former standouts, Sue Jackson and Kevin Smith, who each left an indelible mark during their time in Dinkytown.
Sue Jackson (1972–2025)
Sue Jackson, Minnesota’s first Black volleyball superstar, passed away on June 18 in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Services were held June 26. A three-sport standout at Comstock High School, Jackson led her volleyball team to three state championships before joining the Gophers from 1990–1993. She played in the pre-rally scoring era, when the team still held matches at Williams Arena, and quickly became a fan favorite.
Jackson, a dynamic setter, led the Gophers in assists each season and finished her career ranked fifth in program history with 5,120 assists. She was a two-time All-Big Ten selection, a three-time captain, and the team MVP in 1993.
Her final play in a Gopher uniform was the stuff of legend: diving head-first off the raised court at Williams Arena, trying to save a match point against Notre Dame. The crowd fell silent. Even Notre Dame players withheld celebration until Jackson stood up on her own. That was Sue, tenacious, fearless, and team-first.
After college, Jackson played professionally overseas and later coached at Minneapolis North and South high schools, Macalester College, and her alma maters Kalamazoo College and Comstock High. She earned her master’s from Concordia University–St. Paul and taught as an adjunct professor in special education.
In 2007, she married DuWayne Walker in her hometown of Kalamazoo, becoming Susan Marie Jackson Walker. Together they raised two sons. Jackson was inducted into the M Club Hall of Fame in 2001 and will posthumously enter the Comstock Hall of Fame this year. More than her accolades, she’ll be remembered as a mentor, teacher, mother, wife, and woman of faith.
“Susan was nothing short of a blessing to our teams, school and community,” said longtime Comstock coach Jeff Borr.
Kevin Smith (1964–2025)
Kevin Smith, a former Minnesota men’s basketball player and Lansing, Michigan native, passed away July 21. A forward on Jim Dutcher’s final Gopher squads in the mid-1980s, Smith played in 47 games, scored 210 points, and pulled down 144 rebounds across two seasons.
“He was All-American,” said Minneapolis NAACP President Cynthia Wilson, a fellow Lansing product who played at the same high school as Smith when she was known as Cindy Phillips. “We were homeboys and homegirls.”
Smith’s Gopher career was disrupted by a 1986 sexual assault case involving him and two teammates. Though all were acquitted, the incident rocked the program. The university barred their return, prompting Coach Dutcher’s resignation and leading to Clem Haskins’ hiring.
“Even though they were acquitted, they weren’t welcome back,” Wilson recalled. “Kevin was a really, really nice guy. We even drove back to Michigan together a couple of times. I was just looking at pictures the other day.”
A personal note
As someone who’s covered Gopher sports for over 40 years, I had the privilege of interviewing and reporting on both Jackson and Smith during their time at Minnesota and beyond. News of their passing has been hard to process. My thoughts and prayers are with their families, friends, and former teammates.
May their legacies continue to inspire.
Charles Hallman is a longtime sports columnist of the Minnesota Spokesman Recorder