Indiana University Athletics
Sharon Versyp Named Head WBB Coach (4-8-05)
4/8/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Versyp returns to her home state after leading the Black Bears to three-straight America East regular season championships (2003, 2004, 2005), the 2004 America East Tournament title and a trip to the 2004 NCAA Tournament. In addition to on-court success, Maine annually ranks among the nation's top 40 in attendance. While compiling an overall record of 98-51, including a 67-19 conference record in her five years, Versyp earned 2003 and 2005 America East Coach of the Year honors.
By recording a 25-7 mark in 2003-04 and a 25-6 record in 2002-03, the Black Bears posted back-to-back 25-win campaigns for the first time in school history. This past season, Maine finished with a 20-10 record and played in the Women's National Invitation Tournament for the second time in Versyp's head coaching career. During Versyp's tenure, Maine athletes have earned America East, Rookie and Defensive Player of the Year accolades and have garnered 15 all-conference honors in her five years with the Black Bears. Versyp also coached 2003 and 2004 America East Player of the Year, Heather Ernest, who was an invitee to the USA Basketball National Team Trials and is now playing professionally in Luxembourg.
After an extensive and thorough search, Greenspan feels Versyp is an ideal fit for the Hoosier program.
"We are excited and very pleased that Sharon has joined the Indiana family as our new women's basketball coach," Greenspan said. "She has a strong commitment to excellence in academics, athletics and the personal development of our student-athletes. The fact that she has so many connections to the state of Indiana will be extremely beneficial in guiding this program to new heights. She will bring tremendous leadership to our basketball program, and we are fully confident that she will lead the Hoosiers to success in the coming years."
Versyp is anxious to hit the ground running at Indiana.
"I am thrilled to become part of this Indiana program," Versyp said. "I am also very grateful that President Adam Herbert and Athletics Director Rick Greenspan have given me such a tremendous opportunity. It is such a great feeling to be back in my home state and to be working for such a wonderful university."
ESPN College Basketball Analyst Digger Phelps is well-acquainted with Versyp since Phelps' daughter, Karen Moyer, and Versyp played AAU basketball together in South Bend, Ind., in high school.
"I am happy for all of the Indiana fans and alumni," Phelps said. "Rick Greenspan made the right choice at the right time. Give it two to three years and you will see why. She is a Hoosier at heart and she will do a great job. Sharon is an all-around good person and will create excitement throughout the state. She'll work hard and get the Indiana program to where it should be."
Versyp's student-athletes excel on and off the court. For example, Maine ranks 13th in the Women's Basketball Coaches Association Division I National Top 25 Team Academic Honor Roll.
Versyp said she plans on carrying all of her previous success over to the Hoosier program.
"My vision is to get people excited about Indiana women's basketball," she said. "I am committed to enhancing our program and developing our student-athletes both academically and athletically."
Versyp knows what it takes to succeed in basketball not only as a coach, but as a player as well. In 1984, she earned Indiana's prestigious Miss Basketball honor. Versyp went on to play at Purdue University, where she became one of seven players in Boilermaker history to be a four-year starter. During her playing career, she competed in the 1985 U.S. Olympic Festival Trials, was an All-Big Ten selection in 1988 and earned CoSIDA Academic All-American honors that same season. Her 1,565 career points still rank ninth in the Purdue record books. She also sits at fourth in single game assists (12) and seventh in career assists (418).
Her coaching career began at Lawrence North High School in Indianapolis from 1989-1993, where she took an 0-18 team and led it to a sectional runner-up finish in just two seasons. Versyp also had a stint as the head coach of Benton Central High School in Oxford, Ind., from 1993-1996.
Prior to her arrival in Orono, Versyp served as the top assistant at James Madison University for three seasons under head coach Bud Childers. During her stint at JMU, she served as the program's recruiting coordinator and was responsible for securing a top 25 class in 1999. Before heading to JMU, Versyp was an assistant coach at the University of Louisville for the 1996-97 season. The Cardinals were 20-9 that year, sharing the Conference USA regular season crown and earning a spot in the NCAA Tournament.
