April 10, 2006

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Sharon Versyp is the new Purdue women's basketball head coach.

Versyp comes to Purdue, her alma mater, after one year as head coach at Indiana University, where she guided the Hoosiers to a 19-14 overall record and a 9-7 Big Ten mark. The turnaround from a 10-18 (3-13) campaign in 2004-05 stands as the second-best improvement in Indiana history. The winning 2005-06 season, which ended with a WNIT quarterfinal loss to Marquette, was Indiana's first in three years.

As a player and coach, Versyp has impressed Purdue Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Morgan Burke.

"Sharon played a pivotal role in elevating the Purdue women's basketball program as a player, and it is only fitting that she should assume the leadership of the program as its head coach," Burke said. "She is well-prepared, confident and articulate, and is eager to come in and build upon our proud tradition of helping student-athletes better prepare themselves for success in the game of life.

"Sharon's passion for her alma mater is clear and convincing. We have no doubt that that passion - coupled with her love and knowledge of the game - will attract the highest caliber of future Boilermaker student-athletes."

Purdue Senior Woman Administrator Nancy Cross, who as an assistant basketball coach in the early 1980s helped recruit Versyp to Purdue, said Versyp's attributes as a player continue to serve her on the sidelines.

"Sharon's poise, both as a player and as a coach, is remarkable. Moreover, she has a tremendous understanding of the game and is a great teacher," Cross said. "It's exciting to see her career come full circle. We are very proud to have her back, leading our program."

Senior Associate Athletics Director Roger Blalock, who oversees the Purdue women's basketball program, said Versyp is a proven winner.

"We are extremely excited to have a coach of Sharon Versyp's caliber to continue the great tradition of women's basketball success at Purdue," Blalock said. "She comes to us with an outstanding record of achievement. She's shown us firsthand that she knows how to win."

Prior to her one-year stint in Bloomington, Versyp was the head coach at Maine from 2000-01 to 2004-05. In five years in Orono, Versyp posted a 98-51 record while leading the Black Bears to back-to-back-to-back America East regular-season championships in her last three seasons. The Black Bears won the America East Tournament title in 2004, and thereby secured an NCAA Tournament berth. In recognition of her efforts, Versyp earned America East Coach of the Year honors in 2003 and 2005.

All told, Versyp owns a 117-65 record in six seasons as an NCAA Division I head coach.

Versyp began her coaching career in the high school ranks, starting at Lawrence North in Indianapolis from 1989 to 1993. She coached at Benton Central in Oxford, Ind., from 1993 to 1996.

Versyp moved up to collegiate coaching in 1996-97, when she joined head coach Bud Childers' staff at the University of Louisville; the Cardinals went 20-9, won a share of the Conference USA regular-season title, and competed in the NCAA Tournament that year.

After one season in Louisville, Versyp followed Childers to James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Va., where she served as top assistant and recruiting coordinator.

Long before she began her career on the sidelines, Versyp made a name for herself between the painted lines of the hardwood. A native of Mishawaka, Ind., Versyp was named the 1984 Indiana Miss Basketball following her senior season at Mishawaka High School. Later that year, she took her game to Purdue as the first Indiana Miss Basketball player to don the Old Gold and Black. Versyp was a four-year letterwinner for the Boilermakers; she completed her career in 1988, and graduated in 1989. She remains one of only seven players in Purdue history to start all four years; she started 97 of 113 games played.

Versyp's name is ubiquitous in the Purdue record book. Nearly 20 years after graduating, she still ranks in the top 10 all-time in the following categories: points (9th); points per game (7th); field goals made (7th); field goals attempted (5th); free throw percentage (5th); assists (7th); steals (10th); double-figure scoring games (6th); and minutes played (5th).

In addition to her on-court success, Versyp excelled in the classroom. She earned Academic All-Big Ten honors as a sophomore, junior and senior. Also as a senior, she was named a second team Academic All-American. She majored in speech communications education.

For her senior season at Purdue, Versyp was guided by head coach Lin Dunn, currently an assistant with the WNBA's Indiana Fever, along with assistant coaches Tom Collen and Gail Goestenkors. Collen currently is the head coach at Louisville, while Goestenkors is the head coach at Duke.

Upon her arrival in West Lafayette, Versyp immediately will be in welcome company. Already on the 2006-07 roster are former Indiana Miss Basketball selections Katie Gearlds (2003) and Jodi Howell (2005). Purdue signee Amber Harris, slated to begin her freshman campaign as a Boilermaker next fall, is the 2006 Indiana Miss Basketball out of North Central High School in Indianapolis.

Versyp, who signed a six-year contract, will bring her entire staff - assistant coaches Jody Benner, Martin Clapp and Nadine Morgan, along with supervisor of basketball operations Theresa Kix - to West Lafayette from Bloomington.

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