Angel Elderkin has resigned as App State’s head women’s basketball coach due to personal reasons, Director of Athletics Doug Gillin announced.
“I want to thank Angel for everything she has done for App State and our women’s basketball program over her 10 seasons as head coach,” Gillin said. “I have thoroughly enjoyed working with Angel and seeing the positive impact she has made on her student-athletes, the university and our community. We will miss her at App State and wish her all the best in the future.”
Elderkin arrived at App State in October 2014 and led the Mountaineers to a 134-170 record, compiling the second-most wins of any head coach in program history. App State’s only head coach since joining the Sun Belt, she directed the team to a winning record in three of the last four seasons and to at least one Sun Belt Tournament win in three of the last four years.
“This is a bittersweet day as I step down from my position as Head Women’s Basketball Coach at App State,” Elderkin said. “This decision was not easy and was entirely on my own due to personal reasons that I am eager to focus on. It has been a tremendous privilege to lead the App State women’s basketball program over the past 10 years, and I want to thank Dr. Sheri Everts and Doug Gillin for their support. I will be forever grateful to the student-athletes, current and former staff, and the university. I loved my time at App State and can only hope that the impact I made on our student-athletes is as strong as the impact they have made on me.”
App State will immediately begin a national search for the next leader of the women’s basketball program. Assistant coach Evan Turkish will serve as interim head coach.
This season, the Mountaineers finished 17-15 overall (9-9 in SBC) with wins over four teams that have already accepted postseason tournament bids: James Madison (WBIT), Charleston (WNIT), UNC Greensboro (WNIT) and ULM (WNIT).
In 2021-22, the Mountaineers finished fourth in the Sun Belt, their highest regular-season finish. That followed a 2020-21 season in which App State made its second Sun Belt Tournament semifinal appearance in three seasons.
The 2018-19 season was especially memorable when Elderkin led the Mountaineers to 22 wins, including a program-best 14-3 home record, and a WBI Postseason Tournament Championship with a 76-59 win over North Texas.
Elderkin coached nine Mountaineers to 11 All-Sun Belt honors, including two-time All-SBC pick Pre Stanley, who in 2021 became the first alum in program history to sign a WNBA contract.
Elderkin and her team have been active in the community, including in 2020 when they finished first in the nation in the NCAA Helper Helper Community Service Competition with over 1,000 community service hours.
For her strength and courage in the face of cancer, Elderkin was awarded the U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) Pat Summitt Most Courageous Award along with ESPN sportscaster Holly Rowe in 2017.
