Averett mourns loss of professor, Hall of Famer Barbara Kushubar, whose impact spanned academics, athletics

By Drew Wilson/Director of Athletics Communications

“Professor Kushubar.” “Coach K.” “Barb.” “Kushubar.” “Kush.” No matter by which name someone knew Barbara Kushubar ’75, her impact ran deep and her reach expanded across many areas of Averett University during her 36 years as a professor and coach after returning to her alma mater.

Few have been as big of an influence on Averett’s campus as Kushubar, who passed away Sunday after a valiant battle with cancer. Perhaps what made Kushubar so special was her ability to connect with so many, as if she had a sixth sense to see that untapped potential in those she guided through their Averett journey.

When Kushubar took over as then-Averett College’s women’s volleyball coach in 1989, the previous head coach, Joy Richman, recommended a student by the name of Danny Miller ‘91, ’95 to continue helping with the program. Eventually, Kushubar helped create a graduate assistant position so that Miller could continue to serve as her assistant after he finished his bachelor’s degree. Together, they built the foundations of success for the women’s volleyball program before Kushubar handed the keys over to Miller after the 1994 season. Clearly, Kushubar saw something in Miller, who went on to win 661 games, eight conference tournament titles and 14 regular season crowns over the next 27 seasons during his Hall of Fame career.

“She helped me find my calling and was instrumental in helping me stay at Averett,” said Miller, who retired from coaching after the 2021 season but continues to serve Averett as deputy director of athletics. “Throughout my entire career, Kushubar was always supportive and there for me and my family. It is hard for me to have to think about Averett without Kushubar around because she’s always been there to help everyone grow and develop. She has always and will continue to be a role model for me.”

A 2014 Averett Athletics Hall of Fame inductee, Kushubar made her mark as a coach in several programs after competing as a student-athlete at Averett in the 1970s. As the volleyball head coach from 1989-1994, she guided the Cougars to four conference titles and was named the conference’s Coach of the Year three consecutive years (1992-1994). Kushubar also coached the women’s tennis program to four conference championships and was named the conference Coach of the Year three consecutive times (1994-1996). She also served as the Averett women’s basketball coach for two seasons and helped with the Cougars’ now-defunct field hockey program in the late 1970s. In addition to coaching, Kushubar was the assistant director of athletics for two years and served as an associate professor in the physical education department from 1986 until her death. She was twice was named the Averett Faculty Member of the Year, received the Faculty Appreciation Award from the football program in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 and served as a Faculty Athletics Mentor for the department. In 2015, Averett’s Department of Athletics honored Kushubar by rebranding one of its major awards as the Barbara Kushubar Female Student-Athlete of the Year Award.

Those accolades highlighted the impact that Kushubar made, but they never defined her. It was never about the banners hanging on the walls or the trophies in the lobby showcase. Instead, it was always about the people.

“I can’t tell you my wins or losses, but I can tell you about the students I’ve worked with, the players I’ve coached and those who’ve served as team managers and statisticians,” Kushubar said in 2014 when she was announced as a member of the Averett Hall of Fame class. “It’s been an honor and this award is for those students, not for me.”

Not long after Kushubar’s death was announced by the University Sunday night, alumni, current students, faculty, staff and other members of the community flooded social media with reactions to the heartbreaking news. Many offered condolences, shared memories, wrote tributes and grieved the loss of an Averett icon — some used the “GOAT” emoji, an acronym for “greatest of all time.”

Senior women’s track and field student-athlete Lotta Tiittanen posted the video of Kushubar pinning her during Averett’s Senior Pinning Ceremony last fall.

“’I am beyond proud of you, can’t wait to see what you do in the future, go break barriers I know you can,’” were the words Tiittanen recalled Kushubar sharing with her in that moment.

Those types of encouraging words were the norm from Kushubar. If you passed by her office at the end of the hallway in the Grant Center, you’d regularly find students, coaches and staff members seated in a chair or standing in the doorway. People flocked to Kushubar because she was real. She pushed students to see something in themselves that maybe they hadn’t yet. In turn, they didn’t want to let her down because she cared so deeply for them and their future success.

“Kush had the magical ability to make people believe in themselves,” said Emma Olsson ‘14, ’16, assistant director of athletics and senior woman administrator. Olsson was a student-athlete on the women’s soccer program, then became a graduate assistant within athletics before being promoted to an administrator. Throughout Olsson’s time at Averett, Kushubar took her under her wing and continued to help guide her through her young adult life and career.

“I’ve often reflected on how effectively she turned my self-doubt around,” Olsson said. “I think she simply believed in me and my abilities until I had no choice but to believe in myself. Her servant’s heart and dedication to her students were contagious, and it’s hard to imagine the hallways without her. While the grief of losing Kush is overwhelming, there’s also a profound sense of gratitude for everything she did for me personally and for the countless people around her.”

Kushubar was selfless. Even as she courageously battled her illness, she still put students first and taught classes until the very end. For those who knew Kushubar, that was nothing new.

Amy Cross ’97, an Averett Athletics Hall of Famer and USA South Athletic Conference Hall of Famer who played tennis for Kushubar, recalled during a 2022 interview a story that embodied Kushubar’s dedication to students. Cross said when her dad passed away in September 2015 — nearly two decades after Cross graduated from Averett — Kushubar drove the nearly eight hours round trip to be there for the funeral.

“She’s one of the best people I’ve ever known in my entire life,” Cross said in 2022. “I learned a lot about being a good person, a tennis player and a teammate from her.”