INDUCTION YEAR: 2025

DISTINGUISHED SERVICE

THIRTY-TWO YEARS OF DEDICATION - SUPPORTING OUR ATHLETES, OUR COACHES, OUR COMMUNITY.

KATE SCOTT’S IMPACT ON MCCUTCHEON ATHLETICS SPANS OVER THREE DECADES—A STAGGERING 32 YEARS OF SERVICE AS THE ATHLETIC ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT. HER ROLE WAS FAR MORE THAN A TITLE; SHE WAS THE BACKBONE OF THE ATHLETIC OFFICE, THE FRIENDLY FACE THAT GREETED STUDENTS, COACHES, AND STAFF, AND THE PERSON WHO KEPT EVERYTHING RUNNING SMOOTHLY BEHIND THE SCENES.

A 1974 GRADUATE OF WAINWRIGHT HIGH SCHOOL AND A PURDUE UNIVERSITY ALUMNA (1980-81), KATE’S PROFESSIONAL JOURNEY BEGAN IN ADMINISTRATIVE ROLES AT THE MITCHELL AGENCY AND PURDUE NATIONAL BANK. BUT IN 1982, SHE FOUND HER TRUE CALLING WHEN SHE JOINED MCCUTCHEON HIGH SCHOOL AS THE ATHLETIC ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT—A ROLE SHE HELD WITH DEDICATION UNTIL 2015.

OVER HER YEARS AT MCCUTCHEON, KATE WORKED UNDER FIVE DIFFERENT ATHLETIC DIRECTORS, INCLUDING JAKE BURTON (17 YEARS), MIKE LANDIS (2 YEARS), TIM SLAUTER (9 YEARS), MICHELLE SANSON (1 YEAR), AND RYAN WALDEN (3 YEARS). EACH ERA BROUGHT DIFFERENT CHALLENGES, BUT THROUGH IT ALL, KATE REMAINED A STEADY, RELIABLE PRESENCE. HER DEEP KNOWLEDGE OF ATHLETICS AND HER GENUINE CARE FOR THE STUDENTS AND STAFF MADE HER AN INVALUABLE PART OF THE MCCUTCHEON COMMUNITY.

BEYOND THE LOGISTICS AND DAILY OPERATIONS, KATE BROUGHT HEART AND HUMOR TO THE ATHLETIC OFFICE. SHE HAD A UNIQUE WAY OF CONNECTING WITH STUDENTS—NOT ONLY THE ATHLETES BUT ALSO THOSE WHO FOUND THEMSELVES IN TROUBLE. AS SHE ONCE SAID, "I KNEW THE ATHLETES AS WELL AS THE KIDS WHO GOT IN TROUBLE." ONE OF HER FONDEST MEMORIES INVOLVED FORMER ATHLETIC DIRECTOR JAKE BURTON, WHO WOULD JOKINGLY INSTRUCT HER TO "GET SHERIFF MURTAUGH ON THE LINE" WHEN DEALING WITH DISCIPLINE ISSUES. WITHOUT FAIL, THE MOMENT THE CALL WAS PLACED, THE STUDENTS WOULD START TELLING THE TRUTH. HER ABILITY TO BALANCE PROFESSIONALISM WITH WARMTH MADE HER A BELOVED FIGURE AMONG STUDENTS AND STAFF ALIKE.

KATE’S ROLE EXTENDED FAR BEYOND THE OFFICE; SHE WAS A MENTOR, A FRIEND, AND AN INTEGRAL PART OF MCCUTCHEON ATHLETICS. SHE CHERISHED THE RELATIONSHIPS SHE BUILT, PARTICULARLY WITH THE STUDENT OFFICE WORKERS OVER THE YEARS—MANY OF WHOM STILL REMEMBER HER KINDNESS AND GUIDANCE.

EVEN AFTER STEPPING AWAY FROM HER ROLE IN 2015, KATE’S LEGACY LIVES ON IN THE COUNTLESS STUDENTS, COACHES, AND ADMINISTRATORS SHE WORKED WITH. HER TIRELESS DEDICATION, SHARP WIT, AND UNWAVERING LOVE FOR MCCUTCHEON ATHLETICS MAKE HER A TRUE HALL OF FAMER.

A TRUE MAVERICK WHOSE CONTRIBUTIONS WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN!