Hall of Fame Class of 2024: Dana (Fulmer) Garfield

Dana (Fulmer) Garfield’s South Carolina softball career got off to a rocky start, but it certainly got better quickly, culminating in her being one of nine inductees for the 2024 Class of the University of South Carolina Association of Lettermen’s Athletics Hall of Fame. In the fall of her freshman year, South Carolina was entering its first year in the SEC, but the league did not sponsor softball at that time, and the softball program was actually cut during her first semester, only to be reinstated later in the term.

“I think we had a fall season, and then after that we got pulled into a room where they told us they were discontinuing the program,” Garfield recalled. “At that point, many of us went out and started our recruiting process again. I went up to UMass and Florida State and some others. Then the Title IX process came about, and we were reinstated.

“It’s sort of a blur, but I’m sure Coach (Joyce) Compton was integral behind the scenes. We were devastated and then all of the sudden everything was OK. That year we all played like it was our last shot.”

Things remained more than OK on the field and the catcher/centerfielder emerged as one of the top hitters and run producers in Gamecock history. She is still South Carolina’s career leader with 199 RBI and 268 games played. She ranks second in career batting average (.368) and hits (304), fifth in career runs (186), seventh in career doubles (49), and third in career triples (36). She was a four-time All-Region selection and earned Second Team NFCA All-American honors as a senior in 1995. She also helped South Carolina reach the NCAA Tournament in each of her final two seasons.

“The way we were raised, I never really kept up with statistics,” Garfield said. “My dad followed them. At the end of each year, if I did achieve some sort of accolade, it was truly a surprise. The only statistic that I was ever allowed to look at was RBI. The rationale behind that was that if I’m getting an RBI, then I’m helping the team win. It’s a not a personal stat. That means we’re scoring runs and runs help us win. My teammates did their part by getting on base. I did my part my moving them around.”

A native of nearby Blythewood, South Carolina, playing for the garnet and black was a dream come true.

“Back in that day, a lot of recruiting was from camps you went to. South Carolina was a dream as a kid growing up in the area. I didn’t get a ton of interest from South Carolina initially, but sort of at the last minute. I think maybe it was that last spring that Coach (Joyce) Compton reached out. It was a no-brainer for me. I always wanted to play for Carolina.”

With individual and team success, Garfield thoroughly enjoyed her time at South Carolina.

“Excluding having my kids, it was probably the best time of my life,” Garfield said. “I was a first -generation kid going to college. Everything came together academically, socially, and athletically. I took advantage of those four years because I knew it was special and that I was fortunate. I knew it was a chance for me to get a degree. I still have very close friendships with my teammates. I look back on those teams and every single person on those rosters was committed to the same goal. That’s hard to find anymore. It was a special place to be.”

After earning her degree in psychology, Garfield became an assistant coach at Georgia Southern where she also earned a master’s in counseling for higher education. She went on to become the head coach at Providence College for eight years and then moved into athletics administration, which included 13 years at Mitchell College where she was the Athletics Director for four of those years. She is currently the Athletics Director at Johnson & Wales University (Providence) in Rhode Island.

“When I started having children, I transitioned out of coaching,” Garfield said. “I love athletics. Athletics gave me everything. It gave me an opportunity to go to college and earn an advanced degree. That’s something my family may not have been able to afford. I was able to have that opportunity through scholarships and that sent me on a path with my career. It’s easy for me to talk to families about the value of athletics. It’s not just about playing. It’s about all the intangibles that come from that. There were a lot of things that changed in me and there was growth because of sports, because of the discipline and the teamwork. All of those lessons I carry into my daily life.”

Upon hearing about her selection to the Hall of Fame, Garfield was shocked.

“At this point in my life, I had never really thought of it as a possibility,” Garfield said. “I was completely shocked, humbled, and pleasantly surprised.”

Garfield and wife, Lindsay, have two daughters, Addison (15) and Tatum (13), and she is excited about coming back to campus for Hall of Fame Weekend.

“I haven’t been back to South Carolina in quite a while,” Garfield said. “I am huge Dawn Staley and women’s basketball fan. Just seeing what they’ve done with all of the stadiums and seeing things like the A’ja Wilson statue are all things I’m looking forward to. I’m excited to show my kids where I played.”