By Pia Perthen, Sports Editor
Many student-athletes and employees from Saint Leo University know “Super Suz” and “Barb” for their fantastic work over the past few years. Unfortunately, both left Saint Leo this summer to pursue new endeavors, but each left behind an impressive career and accomplishments.
Susan Cross, athletic director for sports medicine, and Barbara Wilson, associate athletic director, had a unique path to success at Saint Leo.
Cross’ path to Saint Leo started when she received her bachelor’s degree in athletic training at James Madison University in Virginia and earned her master’s degree in kinesiology with a concentration in athletic training from the University of Nevada in Las Vegas.
While getting her master’s degree, she gained valuable experience working full-time as a high school athletic trainer before taking an offer from Saint Leo right after graduate school. Cross started as an intern athletic trainer in 2011 and then was able to be upgraded to a full-time athletic trainer for the next five years. She then spent six years as the director of sports medicine.
“Barb took a chance on me as a recent graduate in the summer of 2011, and I will forever be grateful that she did,” Cross said with a smile.
Wilson’s path to Saint Leo started at Cortland State College in New York, where she received her undergraduate degree. Then, she received her master’s degree from Western Michigan University.
Before beginning at Saint Leo, Wilson worked in a sports medicine clinic for 10 years. Wilson then took on impressive career titles at the university such as head athletic trainer, assistant athletic director for sports medicine, senior woman administrator, athletics health care administrator, and associate athletic director.
“The knowledge and experience that both [Cross and Wilson] brought to the athletic department were extremely valuable, and they were always available if needed – whether it was during the day or night,” Women’s Golf Head Coach, Lyndsey Bevill, said.
Wilson has helped organize the successful “Girls and Women in Sports” event, which included 23 alumni who spoke to current student-athletes about what sports meant to them and how they planned for life after college. Furthermore, this past year, she was the main organizer for the “Stomp out the Stigma of Mental Health” events.
“I kept hearing from various sources that mental health was an ongoing issue in college athletics. I wanted to find a way to give athletes a safe space to know that they are not alone,” Wilson said. “I am confident that the Morgan’s Message organization on campus will continue these events.”
Students agreed that Wilson’s initiative helped build connections, start conversations about mental health, and bring student-athletes together for a fun time.
“My favorite memory from Barb was starting up the Mental Health Day initiative that connected all the students through the idea of mental health and breaking the stigma. Stomp out Stigma nights were always a wonderful time to talk, play games, and become better people. This could not have happened without Barb,” Grant Disken said, a senior who plays for the basketball team and will be president of Saint Leo’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) for the 2023-2024 school year.
Cross also helped shape student-athlete impacts as she became the SAAC advisor in 2018. SAAC is composed of at least one representative from each sport to provide insight into the student-athlete experience, advising meetings, rules, regulations, and policies that affect student-athlete lives on campus.
“When I was put into this position, I was not fully sure what it entailed, but it has been such a spark of joy to have created it into what it is now for our athletes and our Saint Leo community,” Cross said. “It is an invaluable way to create and mold leaders within our athletic teams while helping them advocate for their teams and Saint Leo athletics within the Sunshine State Conference and the NCAA.”
SAAC means a lot to all student-athletes, and Cross has made a significant impact in the advisor role.
“SAAC is not an easy thing to head and supervise, and Suz did it with pure joy and worked as hard as anyone could ever ask for. Suz was the true embodiment of what it means to be down to earth. Caring, hardworking, and helpful have a picture next to Suz in the dictionary,” Disken said.
In addition, Cross was one of the main organizers of the popular “Green and Gold Awards,” where awards are presented on a night of joy and recognition for student-athletes and athletic department employees.
“I found it to be a fun and challenging opportunity to take on, but every year, I had a great support staff to help celebrate our student-athletes,” Cross said. “At the end of it all, the cheers and screams throughout the night for those being highlighted were always well worth the time and energy of planning and executing.”
Outside of Saint Leo, both women are also hardworking and pursuing great hobbies. Cross lives a highly active lifestyle, enjoying her CrossFit community and interacting with her rescue pup, Emma. Wilson has raised three boys, is a passionate reader, and likes to keep active by playing golf.
During their time at Saint Leo, the memories are an amazing benefit. Cross names a remarkable memory of the national championship when the men’s and women’s tennis teams and men’s and women’s golf teams were competing in 2016. Additionally, she was able to travel to Alaska with the women’s volleyball team during her first few years, which Cross describes as “incredible.” She remembers traveling with softball in 2018 very well, as it was in her home state with her parents cheering in the stands.
“Honestly, every trip at the beginning of every season was always a favorite for team bonding, whether it was karaoke, tasty food, or just downtime in the hotel. Some of the funniest memories happened randomly,” Cross said.
Wilson also shares some memorable experiences, like when she worked the whole season and the NCAA finals in men’s lacrosse, women’s soccer, and men’s tennis. Wilson also named sleigh riding in Alaska with the men’s basketball team, trick or treating with the women’s soccer team, and team dinners at her house as wonderful memories she can remember with joy.
“In addition to all the amazing memories I have experienced, I also think one of the most special occurrences was to watch athletes return to play after an injury,” Wilson said.
While working with student-athletes, the two women stated that creating relationships outside the sport was enjoyable and important.
“Relationships are such a significant component of who we all are, but getting to know our student-athletes without the athlete label to them is special,” Cross said. “I have found that barriers and boundaries were often lowered so that relationships could be developed even further.”
“I loved the process of watching the student-athletes grow into adults and hoping that I was helping them with that,” Wilson added.
Both women have impacted many student-athletes during their time at Saint Leo and have achieved their goal of being more than an athletic trainer for them.
“What I appreciated most about Barb was her kind and caring attitude around the training room and sporting facilities for games, practices, and events. Barb was a mother figure in times of need, physically and mentally,” Disken said.
Cross’s relationship concept worked well, as she positively impacted many students.
“Words cannot describe how much Super Suz means to me and the whole Saint Leo community that had the pleasure of meeting and working with her over the years. Suz was not only a trainer but a friend who helped so much on and off the court. I am going to miss Suz and Barb big time!” Disken said.
Wilson’s and Cross’s fantastic care and work will sadly not be at Saint Leo anymore, as both women have left the athletic department and are not returning for the upcoming Fall 2023 season.
The two women had several reasons to leave Saint Leo, like changing to an unfamiliar environment to grow and positively challenge themselves and the recent financial cuts across all university departments.
“I’m going to be honest that recent changes have influenced my decision to leave Saint Leo.,” said Cross. “I have never thought I would leave Saint Leo since it has been a big part of me for the last 12 years.”
Cross believes the sports medicine department and student-athlete experience suffered due to certain decisions.
“[Those decisions] made it hard for me to meet personal standards and maintain my love for athletic training,” she said. “My passion has always been to stand up for what is right when it comes to our student-athletes, and unfortunately, I didn’t feel that I would be able to do that with the current climate of the university.”
Therefore, when a new job opportunity presented itself, Cross felt it was the right move for her personal and professional life, even though it was hard for her to make.
Cross has taken a clinical support position in the USF Health family medicine department, where she will work with primary care physicians.
“I am incredibly excited to still get to educate others on the value of athletic trainers outside of the traditional athletic environment,” Cross said.
However, Cross will miss those she leaves behind, and she will reflect fondly on the memories that she was able to experience.
Wilson also has accepted a new position outside of the university with a physical therapy company that outsources athletic trainers to high schools. The decision to leave has not been easy for both women, as well as for the athletics department, but many are giving them their best farewell wishes.
“We will miss them both but are excited for them and their new career opportunities, and of course, we are hoping to see them at future Saint Leo athletic events,” Bevill said.
The path that led both women to Saint Leo now diverges as they both leave to pursue other ventures but feel blessed the path led them first to Saint Leo.
“I absolutely loved my 24 years at Saint Leo. I will deeply miss being there,” Wilson said.
