‘Sue Du’ returns to Harwood athletics to finish the year

Feb. 2, 2023  |  By Lisa Scagliotti 

Sue Duprat celebrates the 2009 Harwood Boys Lacrosse state championship. Duprat returns to her former role as Harwood athletics and activities director through the end of the school year. File photo by Gordon Miller

Harwood this week welcomes a familiar face back on staff for the remainder of the school year as Sue Duprat steps into the role of interim athletics and activities director. 

Duprat’s first day was Wednesday, Feb. 1, as Chris Langevin, who has held the job for the past five and a half years stepped down as of Tuesday, Jan. 31. 

Duprat was Harwood Union Middle/High School’s athletic director for 14 years, retiring in June 2017. Langevin in early January submitted his resignation to take a new job in sales at St. Albans with Kevin Smith Team Sports and Corporate Apparel. 

School officials said Duprat’s past experience in the role made her an ideal candidate for the remainder of the school year. 

“We are excited that she is willing to work with us through this transition,” said Harwood Co-Principal Laurie Greenberg. “Her insight on next steps and supporting our athletic program in the transition will be valuable.”

A University of Vermont graduate, Duprat spent nearly three decades on the athletic department staff at Saint Michael’s College where she spearheaded women’s athletics programs and was the college’s first women’s basketball coach, a role she held for 27 years. In 2006, she was inducted into the New England Basketball Hall of Fame for her collegiate coaching. She became Harwood’s athletic director following her time at St. Mike’s.  

Reached this week, Duprat said she’s happy to be able to fill in for the remainder of the year, but she’s sure this stint is temporary.. “I will readily admit that the folks here, and HU itself, are the only things that could shake me out of retirement,” she said. “Because I love being retired!”.   

A hiring committee will be interviewing candidates to take over the Harwood AD role in a permanent capacity starting July 1.