Susan Petersen Lubow, formerly an athletic director at the United States Merchant Marine Academy for 25 years, died last Monday at the age of 61.
She died of pancreatic cancer while in hospice, according to Newsday.
Petersen Lubow was born in 1954 in Mineola, and went on to graduate from MacArthur High School in Levittown.
She received a bachelor’s degree from Springfield College in 1975 and later a master’s in health education from Hofstra University in 1979.
While at Springfield, she was an All-American swimmer in the 200 individual medley and the medley relay.
Petersen Lubow joined the Marine academy as a physcial education teacher in 1979.
In 1989 she was appointed athletic director of the academy, the first woman to hold the position at any of the United States Federal Service Academies, according to the USMMA athletics website.
Petersen Lubow was also the first female head coach of a varsity men’s team at any service academy when she was appointed head coach for the men’s and women’s swimming & diving teams in 1979.
During her 25 year tenure as athletic director, Petersen Lubow expanded USMMA athletics to over 20 varsity teams and was responsible for the creation of the athletic hall of fame.
“Sue was a legend in collegiate athletics, as the first female athletic director of a federal service academy, and she helped pave the way for all future female athletic directors,” current USMMA Athletic Director Mo White said. “She was a role model and mentor to so many student-athletes, coaches, and staff members and everywhere you turn here at the Academy you can see Sue’s contributions. Sue meant so much to the USMMA community and we will continue to work to build on Sue’s great legacy.”
Throughout her career, Petersen Lubow was involved with both USA Swimming and NCAA Swimming & Diving.
She was head manager for the 1998 World Swimming Championships, traveling with the USA national team to Perth, Australia in Jan. 1998.
In Oct. 2004, she was named head manager for the USA Short Course World Swim Team that hosted the World Championships for the first time in history.
Petersen Lubow also devoted the summers of 1993-95 to the USA National Swim program, serving as head and assistant manager.
She was inducted into Springfield College’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 1991 and the New York Metropolitan Swimming Hall of Fame in 2009.
On top of her athletic accomplishments, she served on the Locust Valley Central School District’s board of education and was a treasurer and on the governing board for the First Presbyterian Church of Oyster Bay.
“She lived a short life but she really lived it,” her mother, Hazel Petersen, 87, told Newsday.
In 2014, Petersen Lubow stepped down from her position as athletic director and was subsequently inducted into the USMMA Athletics Hall of Fame the same year.
“Maybe I did break through barriers and overcome obstacles to give young girls a chance of following their dreams. I just never looked at myself in that light,” she said during her hall of fame induction speech. “I chose my profession because I wanted to make a difference, not because I wanted to be a trailblazer, but in reflection, whether I like it or not, I guess I was.”
A memorial service for Petersen Lubow was held on Oct. 13 at the Mariners’ Memorial Chapel at the USMMA.
