RIPON, Wis. - Suzy Eskola '87 was a two-sport star at Ripon College, after transferring to the school prior to her sophomore season. In her three years at Ripon, Eskola collected numerous accolades and remains in the school's record books today. She was inducted into Ripon's Athletics Hall of Fame in 1998.
Although she was a pitcher on the softball field, it was as a shooting guard on the basketball court where Eskola made a name for herself, earning First Team All-Conference honors during all three of her years at Ripon. A member of Ripon's 1985 conference championship team, Eskola graduated with the school record for career assists with 218, which still ranks eighth in program history. She also graduated as the second-leading scorer in the program, and still ranks 20th with 805 points.
"Coming off a very successful high school basketball career, I didn't know what to expect at Ripon College. I soon realized that a good team was much more important than a good player or a few good players," Eskola said. "I think Ripon taught me to want more for myself, and being around such a diverse group of teammates helped promote those thoughts."
As a junior, Eskola broke the school record for single season scoring average, with 16 points per game, which followed up a sophomore campaign which saw her score 15.3 ppg. Both of those averages still remain among Ripon's 10-highest single season scoring averages in program history. Her 321 points as a sophomore stood as the single season school record at the time of her graduation.
"Suzy brought great fundamentals and a strong desire to win when she came to Ripon College. She was known by teammates as a hard passer with a good eye for the open player. She just flicked her wrist and the ball was on its way, and her teammates had better be on high alert," legendary Ripon women's basketball coach Elaine Coll said. "If her teammates were ready, they often had an easy shot near the basket, but if she didn't pass the ball, it was likely that she'd put it in herself."
Despite her successes on the court, some of the most influential moments during her college career came while observing and interacting with Coach Coll. Although Eskola learned many things from Coach Coll that she was able to use when she became a high school coach herself, there is one thing that still stands out today.
"Most of the things I learned from Coach Coll were done so indirectly, but she made one comment that stuck and made me a better coach," Eskola said. "She told me that 'you can't expect players to play like you or be you,' which meant that I need to get the best out of a player for who they are and what skills they have. I know I can help them improve their skills, but it's important to understand who they are as a player in order to get the most out of them."
Eskola currently resides in Middleton, Wis. and is the Deputy Director of Operations at the Dane County Medical Examiner's Office.
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