Gaines was the 1987–88 Gatorade National Track & Field Athlete of the Year, an award that goes to one high school girl each year from around the country. In 2009, she was named one of 10 "Women Out Front", a leadership award given by
Georgia Tech, where she was an academic advisor. In 2018, she was named to the 10-person inaugural class of the Dallas Independent School District's Athletic Hall of Fame. ==Coaching==