William Smith Basketball Head Coach Lindsay Sharman announced her intention to step away from coaching to pursue other professional opportunities. She informed her team today, but will remain on staff to assist with special projects in the department through the end of the academic year.
“As a college coach, you have the unique opportunity to positively impact the past, present and future of a program,” says Sharman. “Engaging with alums and keeping them connected to the program, building community and team culture, mentoring incredible young women on and off the court, teaching and coaching the technical and tactical aspects of the game, getting out on the road to find talent and building relationships with future Herons, and so much more.
“Putting my time and energy into all of that also comes with a sacrifice of time with my family which is why I’ve decided to pivot to a new career.”
HWS will conduct a national search for a new head coach immediately.
“Lindsay’s body of work with William Smith Basketball has been outstanding,” says Brian Miller, HWS associate vice president and director of athletics and recreation. “Aside from success on the court, she has recruited, molded and provided great leadership for so many Herons throughout her coaching tenure. I will miss her infectious attitude around Bristol Gym, but wish her well with whatever challenge she takes on next.”
Sharman has led the Heron basketball program for the past 18 seasons, accumulating a record of 249-217. On Friday, she engineered one of the biggest upsets in program history, a 49-48 win over No. 20 Vassar. The Brewers had won 21 in a row before the Herons’ Brooke Jarvis scored the game-winning basket with 3.7 seconds remaining to give the Liberty League regular season champs their only conference loss.
Sharman guided William Smith to three Liberty League regular season championships, two Liberty League Tournament titles, and three postseason appearances. She has mentored three WBCA All-Americans, one D3hoops.com East Region Player of the Year, seven D3hoops.com All-Region selections, two Liberty League Players of the Year, three Liberty League Rookies of the Year and 42 All-Liberty League picks.
Committed to the ideals of the student-athlete, Sharman’s players have excelled in the classroom. Over the past 18 seasons, they have earned 118 Liberty League All-Academic awards. Additionally, Kristen Kush ’12 and Olivia Parisi ’22 were voted to the highly selective Academic All-America teams, recognition earned by just four players in the history of the program.
As head coach, Sharman and her assistants were voted the Liberty League Coaching Staff of the Year four times. She was also an assistant coach for Head Coach Olympia Scott-Richardson when William Smith garnered the award in 2004-05.
Sharman began her collegiate coaching career as an assistant coach at William Smith for the 2003-04 season. After two seasons in that role, she was named the interim head coach of the program for the 2005-06 season. That year, Sharman guided the Herons to a 22-6 overall record winning the Liberty League regular season and tournament championships. She guided William Smith to a 69-62 win over St. John Fisher in the first round of the NCAA Division III Women’s Basketball Championship, before falling to Baldwin Wallace 71-65 in the second round.
The following season, Sharman and the Herons went 17-11 and earned an ECAC Tournament bid. William Smith finished the season with a three-game winning streak, capturing the 2007 ECAC Upstate Championship.
During the 2007-08 season, Sharman directed her squad to another 20-win season, compiling a 25-4 overall mark. Only one team in program history has won more games in a season. The 2007-08 Herons again claimed the league’s regular season and tournament titles and returned to the NCAA tournament. William Smith was selected to host first and second rounds games, topping Colby-Sawyer 76-72 and Brockport 78-73 to advance to the round of 16.
William Smith also won the Liberty League regular season championship in 2011.
“It’s been an honor to serve the William Smith Basketball program the past 21 years, and I’m extremely grateful to have had the opportunity to work alongside such amazing coaches, colleagues and students,” says Sharman. “There are many talented players returning next season. I will always bleed green and be the basketball program’s No. 1 fan.”
In addition to her leadership of the Heron basketball program, Sharman also coached William Smith golf for three years, including two as head coach.
Off the court, Sharman co-chairs the Athletic Department’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion committee. In that role, she has helped facilitate discussions for student-athletes and the greater campus community to foster growth and understanding and effect positive change at HWS.
“Lindsay has dedicated tremendous passion and commitment to the William Smith basketball program over the past 21 years,” says Liz Dennison, HWS associate athletic director and senior woman administrator. “The Colleges, department, and program have benefited greatly from her commitment to student-athlete welfare and advocacy in enhancing their experience, as well as her work with the student-athlete DEI council. She will always be a member of the Heron family, and we thank her for her leadership and impact on Heron Basketball. We look forward to celebrating Lindsay as she moves on to the next chapter of her career.”
