Presbyterian College and Athletic Director Danny Sterling announced Tuesday the addition of Alaura Sharp as the new women’s basketball head coach. She will start immediately, becoming the eighth head coach in PC’s women’s basketball history.
“We would like to welcome Alaura (Sharp) to the Presbyterian College family,” said Sterling. “Add her wealth of experience with her energy and enthusiasm and we couldn’t have asked for a better hire to lead the women’s basketball team. It became clear early on in the process that she was someone who would be a positive influence on the team and help them achieve success on and off the court.”
Sharp just wrapped her second year as assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for a Louisiana Tech program that posted 19 wins this past season and finished tied for third in the Conference USA standings. Both were an improvement from the year before. The Lady Techsters played in their second straight WNIT game, with two players earning Conference USA All-Conference honors as well. Tech’s 19 wins were also the most since the 2010-11 season.
“I couldn’t be more excited about the opportunity to lead the women’s basketball program at PC,” said Sharp. “This is such a unique place. It’s about receiving a great education and inspiring young people to grow and develop. That couldn’t be more in line with my mission as a head coach. I want to build a program at PC that empowers young women to pursue excellence both on and off the court.”
During Sharp’s first year in Ruston, the Lady Techsters exceeded all external expectations, winning 18 games and finishing fourth in the Conference USA standings, after being picked 12th in the preseason coaches’ poll. Tech advanced to the semifinals of the C-USA Tournament and earned an invitation to the WNIT. It was the Lady Techsters’ first postseason appearance since 2011.
During her time at Southern Miss, where she served as associate head coach and recruiting coordinator, the Golden Eagles made back-to-back appearances in the Conference USA Tournament championship game. Southern Miss won a combined 52 games in those two years while making two trips to the Women’s National Invitational Tournament, advancing all the way to the Elite Eight in 2015.
Prior to her time in Hattiesburg, Sharp spent four years as the head coach at Garden City Community College. There, she turned the Lady Busters program into a top contender each year in the tough Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference and Region VI.
While at GCCC, Sharp guided the Lady Busters to their best record in school history at 29-4 in 2012-13 and ranked No. 13 in the NJCAA Polls. Her career coaching record at Garden City was 83-45, making her the winningest coach in program history. Sharp also produced an All-American player in Tamara Jones from Prosser, Washington in her last two years.
During her tenure at GCCC, Sharp’s teams defeated 11 nationally ranked teams. She posted back-to-back 20-win seasons including the team’s best start at 15-0 during 2012-13. Her teams finished second in the Kansas Jayhawk Conference in 2012 and 2013 while finishing third in 2010. She was awarded the KJCCC Coach of the Year in 2010 while her teams advanced to the semifinals of the Region VI Tournament in 2012 and 2013.
Prior to Garden City, Sharp spent one season at Lamar Community College in Colorado after a two-year stint at Adams State University as an assistant coach.
“I am eager to create an atmosphere and energy within the program that people in the PC community want to support and be a part of. I am so grateful to Athletic Director Danny Sterling and President Bob Staton for believing in me and giving me the opportunity to lead this program. I’m looking forward to getting to know all of the PC community.”
Sharp graduated magna cum laude from Southwest Minnesota State University. She earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education with a sports management concentration and minor in coaching. Sharp earned her AA degree from Fort Scott Community College, where she was a two-year letter-winner.
She was named a Kansas Jayhawk Community College second team all-conference selection while averaging 14.0 points and 12.0 rebounds. She also earned NJCAA Academic All-American honors. Sharp concluded her collegiate career at Southwest Minnesota State, where she led her team in steals at 3.5 per game.
Photo Courtesy Presbyterian Athletics
Tagged with: Alaura Sharp Big South Presbyterian
