Mary Baldwin University

Sharon Spalding, who retired in 2020 as professor emeritus at Mary Baldwin and lives in Stuarts Draft, served two tenures as the director of athletics from 1997-99 and 2007-15.  She began her tenure at MBU as an instructor in 1990 and advanced through assistant and associate professor positions until ultimately serving as the Director of Wellness from 2007-15.

She coached three different Mary Baldwin sports teams, including 10 years with the volleyball team.  Her 1995 spikers won AWCC championship and she was named the AWCC Coach of the Year in 1996.  .  She also guided the basketball squad for one year and had led the cross country program that featured two-time All-American and Academic All-American in fellow 2023 Hall of Fame inductee Sophia Stone as well as many other USA South all-stars.  During that span, Spalding began the first of her two terms as Athletic Director.

Spalding also contributed to the University with the Virginia Institute for Leadership for three years.  During her tenure as Athletic Director, she added varsity track & field to the athletic department offerings and was instrumental in developing the new university branding for the 2016-17 academic year.  She emphasized students to wear travel shirts on game days so professors and others on campus knew the teams and athletes representing Mary Baldwin.

Spalding has been active in dozens of local health and wellness organizations and programs, including her current stint as an instructor at the Augusta Health Lifetime Fitness program.