NEW ORLEANS, La. (EMUEagles.com) – Former Eastern Michigan University Coach Sue Parks was selected to be inducted into the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Coaches Hall of Fame for the class of 2026 following her illustrious career, the organization announced Tuesday, Aug. 4.

Parks becomes the first woman to be inducted from Eastern Michigan, and the second coach in school history, joining her father, Bob Parks.

The 2025-26 campaign marked the 20th and final season at EMU for Parks, after coaching at other institutions including Ball State University, the University of Arizona, Michigan State University, and the University of Michigan. Parks built a championship legacy, with 26 Mid-American Conference championships, 24 MAC Coach of the Year honors, top-10 national finishes, NCAA All-Americans, and Olympians.

Under Parks, Eastern Michigan women's indoor track and field captured MAC titles in 2011, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2020, 2023, and 2024. The Eagles also won the 2016 outdoor conference championship. In cross country, Eastern Michigan captured its first women's MAC title in 2015, beginning a run of five consecutive conference championships from 2015 through 2019.

Prior to EMU, Parks enjoyed tremendous success in her first head coaching role during her 12-year tenure at Ball State, winning eight Mid-American Conference titles and finishing runner-up 10 times in cross country and track and field. She was named MAC Women's Coach of the Year five times: indoor and outdoor track three times (1996, 1998, 2001); outdoor track once (2000); and cross country once (2003). In addition, she was selected as an NCAA Regional Coach of the Year in indoor and outdoor track in 1998. Her 2002 cross country team became just the third MAC team to ever qualify for the NCAA Championship at the time.

Parks was not only a leader of cross country programs, but worked tirelessly at the national level to promote the interests of the NCAA Cross Country community. She served as the regional representative, at-large representative, second vice president, and vice president of the NCAA Division I Cross Country Executive committee throughout her career.

Sue's father, Bob Parks, was inducted into the Hall of Fame as a member of the class of 2000, as he remains the most decorated coach in Eastern Michigan Athletics history. Coaching the Green and White from 1967-2000, his teams captured 31 MAC titles, won six NAIA and NCAA team championships, and built a national reputation that transformed EMU into a powerhouse in distance running and track and field that Sue would later continue growing.

Before she continued the Parks' coaching legacy, Sue was also an outstanding cross country and track competitor. She was a state of Michigan high school champion and former record holder in the 800 meters and also competed on U.S. teams in the Pan American Games. Parks went on to graduate from EMU with a bachelor's degree in 1980 and a master's degree in 1988. While an undergraduate, Parks was a Mid-American Conference cross country individual champion in 1976, 1977, and 1978, and was also an Olympic Trials qualifier. She was elected to the EMU Athletic Hall of Fame in 1992.

Started in 1995, the USTFCCCA Coaches Hall of Fame exists to recognize coaches who have brought great distinction to themselves, to their institutions and to the sports of cross country and track & field. Each of the honorees exemplifies the qualities of dedication to the sport, leadership and passion for their profession and serves as an inspiration to coaches everywhere.

Terry Aldrich (Middlebury), Mike Barnett (Azusa Pacific), Chris Bucknam (Arkansas), Russ Rogers (Ohio State), and Ray Treacy (Providence) were also announced as part of the Coaches Hall of Fame Class of 2026. These six coaches will be honored at the 2026 USTFCCCA Coaches Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Tuesday, December 15, at the USTFCCCA Convention, held at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center in Grapevine, Texas.