University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Sue Heon “Speechless” upon Hall of Fame Induction
9/16/2019 5:00:00 PM | General
Sue Heon Preston was 10 years old when Mark Spitz won seven gold medals at the 1972 Olympics. One night, after watching him compete, she looked her parents in the eyes and told them that was going to be her one day.
She was going to be an Olympian.
"My parents sat there and kind of chuckled about the whole thing," said Heon. "My dad said 'I just hope she's not disappointed.'"
That was all the drive Heon needed. From that moment on, she knew she was going to be an Olympian, and she was. Along with being a four-time collegiate All-American and now, one of the newest members of Pitt's Hall of Fame.
"I still can't believe I'm being inducted into the University of Pittsburgh Hall of Fame," Heon said. "I look at all the class before me and I look at the class now and I'm like, 'How did I really fit in here?' It's a true honor to be recognized."
Heon fits in with the Hall of Fame classes because of her incredible accomplishments in the pool. She finished her career at Pitt as an 11-time All American, earing national accolades in each season of her collegiate career. Heon was a nine-time individual Big East Champion and at the conclusion of her career, held seven different school records.
She will go down in history as one of the greatest athlete's Pitt has ever seen, all because she wore a hat and gloves to an indoor swim meet in March.
While attending a swim camp during high school, Heon was taught 90 percent of body heat was lost through the hands, feet and head. So, at states her junior year, Heon, still in her swim suit, put on a pair of shoes, a winter hat, gloves and started running around.
Two men in the crowd, who just so happened to be sitting behind Heon's parents, started asking questions about the girl in the winter hat and gloves. Heon's father turned around and told them that was his daughter.
After they watched her race, the two men introduced themselves to Heon's parents as Dick Bradshaw and Fred Lewis, Pitt's head coaches for swimming.
"It just was by coincidence they were sitting behind my parents and made a comment and my dad turned around and made a comment back," Heon said. "Just one of those things."
The conversation soon turned into whether or not Heon had a place to train. The answer was no, not really. So, Bradshaw and Lewis invited her to come to Pitt during the summers to start training.
When it came time to pick a college, Heon wasn't even sure she would be attending. But in the end, she decided to go to Pitt. For her, it made sense. She knew the coaching staff. She was familiar with the city and it was an easier transition than trying to move across the country. In the end, it was the right decision.
"I'm very thankful that the University of Pittsburgh gave me the opportunity to chase my dreams and chase my goals," Heon said. "If I wasn't there, I can't say would I have gotten there."
Heon proved her 10-year-old-self right during the 1984 Summer Olympics when she finished fourth in the 400 individual medley. It was the moment she had trained for all her life and she knew she was ready. Six weeks before the qualifying meet, Heon swam 1500 meters. The entire time she felt like she was on cloud nine. That is when she knew she had a shot of making the team. And she did.
"I was just beyond happy and beyond the whole thought of dreams do come true," said Heon. "I was living proof of it and it was just something that I had trained so hard for. I still get speechless when I talk about it."
Now, Heon a fourth grade teacher, is using her story to inspire her students.
"I tell my students I am living proof that dreams come true," said Heon. "I attribute a lot to Dick Bradshaw and Fred Lewis. The two of them really pushed me further than I thought I could go, they were the ones who really started me down the path of me getting to the level that I was able to get to and so I'm thankful."
2019 PITT HALL OF FAME
The 2019 Pitt Athletics Hall of Fame Class was unveiled June 13, 2019 by Pitt's Director of Athletics Heather Lyke. The 12-member group is composed of All-Pros, All-Americans and legendary all-time greats.
The 2019 class will receive induction at the Pitt Hall of Fame Dinner on Friday, Sept. 20, at the Petersen Events Center. On Saturday, Sept. 21, the inductees will be introduced at Heinz Field when the Panthers host UCF. For Hall of Fame Dinner ticket information, contact Executive Director for Signature Events and Donor Experience Allison Rubin by phone (412-648-0345) or email (arubin@athletics.pitt.edu).
For more information of the Pitt Athletics Hall of Fame, visit pittsburghpanthers.com/halloffame.
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She was going to be an Olympian.
"My parents sat there and kind of chuckled about the whole thing," said Heon. "My dad said 'I just hope she's not disappointed.'"
That was all the drive Heon needed. From that moment on, she knew she was going to be an Olympian, and she was. Along with being a four-time collegiate All-American and now, one of the newest members of Pitt's Hall of Fame.
"I still can't believe I'm being inducted into the University of Pittsburgh Hall of Fame," Heon said. "I look at all the class before me and I look at the class now and I'm like, 'How did I really fit in here?' It's a true honor to be recognized."
Heon fits in with the Hall of Fame classes because of her incredible accomplishments in the pool. She finished her career at Pitt as an 11-time All American, earing national accolades in each season of her collegiate career. Heon was a nine-time individual Big East Champion and at the conclusion of her career, held seven different school records.
She will go down in history as one of the greatest athlete's Pitt has ever seen, all because she wore a hat and gloves to an indoor swim meet in March.
While attending a swim camp during high school, Heon was taught 90 percent of body heat was lost through the hands, feet and head. So, at states her junior year, Heon, still in her swim suit, put on a pair of shoes, a winter hat, gloves and started running around.
Two men in the crowd, who just so happened to be sitting behind Heon's parents, started asking questions about the girl in the winter hat and gloves. Heon's father turned around and told them that was his daughter.
After they watched her race, the two men introduced themselves to Heon's parents as Dick Bradshaw and Fred Lewis, Pitt's head coaches for swimming.
"It just was by coincidence they were sitting behind my parents and made a comment and my dad turned around and made a comment back," Heon said. "Just one of those things."
The conversation soon turned into whether or not Heon had a place to train. The answer was no, not really. So, Bradshaw and Lewis invited her to come to Pitt during the summers to start training.
When it came time to pick a college, Heon wasn't even sure she would be attending. But in the end, she decided to go to Pitt. For her, it made sense. She knew the coaching staff. She was familiar with the city and it was an easier transition than trying to move across the country. In the end, it was the right decision.
"I'm very thankful that the University of Pittsburgh gave me the opportunity to chase my dreams and chase my goals," Heon said. "If I wasn't there, I can't say would I have gotten there."
Heon proved her 10-year-old-self right during the 1984 Summer Olympics when she finished fourth in the 400 individual medley. It was the moment she had trained for all her life and she knew she was ready. Six weeks before the qualifying meet, Heon swam 1500 meters. The entire time she felt like she was on cloud nine. That is when she knew she had a shot of making the team. And she did.
"I was just beyond happy and beyond the whole thought of dreams do come true," said Heon. "I was living proof of it and it was just something that I had trained so hard for. I still get speechless when I talk about it."
Now, Heon a fourth grade teacher, is using her story to inspire her students.
"I tell my students I am living proof that dreams come true," said Heon. "I attribute a lot to Dick Bradshaw and Fred Lewis. The two of them really pushed me further than I thought I could go, they were the ones who really started me down the path of me getting to the level that I was able to get to and so I'm thankful."
2019 PITT HALL OF FAME
The 2019 Pitt Athletics Hall of Fame Class was unveiled June 13, 2019 by Pitt's Director of Athletics Heather Lyke. The 12-member group is composed of All-Pros, All-Americans and legendary all-time greats.
The 2019 class will receive induction at the Pitt Hall of Fame Dinner on Friday, Sept. 20, at the Petersen Events Center. On Saturday, Sept. 21, the inductees will be introduced at Heinz Field when the Panthers host UCF. For Hall of Fame Dinner ticket information, contact Executive Director for Signature Events and Donor Experience Allison Rubin by phone (412-648-0345) or email (arubin@athletics.pitt.edu).
For more information of the Pitt Athletics Hall of Fame, visit pittsburghpanthers.com/halloffame.
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