Susan Nunnelly was born and raised in Hueytown, Alabama, and began school at Auburn University in 1966. While a student at Auburn, Nunnelly was a member of the Auburn University Marching Band and pep band for basketball season. She played alto saxophone and bassoon.

Nunnelly stayed in Auburn to work on her master’s degree. In between her school work, Nunnelly worked as an official for intramural games and assisted the campus recreation office where possible. In 1972, Congress passed Title IX, opening the landscape of women’s athletics in America.

When Nunnelly was in high school, girl’s basketball was not offered in Alabama. Despite that, Nunnelly became Auburn’s second varsity women’s basketball coach in 1973. Over her three seasons at the helm, Nunnelly led her alma mater to a 43-20 overall record. It was under Nunnelly’s lead that the women’s team played their first game at Beard-Eaves Memorial Coliseum in 1974, but they continued to play in the Sports Arena. It was a smaller venue that allowed the students and crowd to have a bigger impact on the game.

In 1976, Nunnelly stepped down as head coach to focus on teaching and running the intramural programs. She would be named director of campus recreation in 1984. Despite no longer coaching, Nunnelly stuck around the basketball program. The first season following her coaching career, Nunnelly would become PA announcer for the women’s team, a position she continues to hold.

Nunnelly became the voice of the SEC Women’s Basketball Tournament in 1987. She worked the PA system for every tournament game until 2020 when she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer.

Despite retiring from Auburn University officially in 2008, Nunnelly continues to teach an officiating class for the School of Kinesiology. She also works with Camp War Eagle, the school’s freshman student orientation program. “Fun with the Nun” takes place during every CWE session over the summer where Nunnelly teaches students and their parents the history of Auburn and the traditional cheers.

Few people have seen Auburn change as much as Susan Nunnelly. Today, “The Nun” is still active with Auburn Athletic teams beyond her PA responsibilities, as she is a season ticket holder for softball and baseball, among other sports.