Women's Basketball Hall of Fame Coach Linda K. Sharp announced her resignation as Women’s Basketball Head Coach at Concordia University Texas. Sharp has held this position since the beginning of the 2001 season. As head coach of women’s basketball at Concordia since 2001, Sharp has had a 87-87 record. Sharp also celebrated a career record of 496-271 after 27 years coaching NCAA women’s basketball.
A 1973 graduate of Cal State Fullerton University, Sharp was inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in June 2001.
Sharp began her college coaching career in 1975 when she served as the assistant women’s basketball coach at the University of Southern California (USC) while also coaching women’s basketball at Modern Day High School. In 1976 Sharp was hired as the first full-time women’s head basketball coach, and the first female head coach hired at the University of Southern California.
Sharp coached at the University of Southern California from 1976-1989, where she achieved a 271-99 record and led her teams to four NCAA Final Four appearances, including back-to-back National Championship squads in 1983 and 1984. Sharp coached some star-studded teams during her time at USC including such players as Cheryl Miller and Cynthia Cooper.
After leaving USC Coach Sharp coached at Southwest Texas State University from 1989-1997 where she won 138 games and lost 85 in eight seasons. She ranks among the Top 50 All-Time among NCAA coaches in wins (409) and winning percentage (.718) for her twenty one years at USC and SWT.
Sharp has coached at the WNBA level as well. She coached the Los Angeles Sparks in 1997, during the WNBA's inaugural year. Sharp then assisted her former pupil at USC, Cheryl Miller with the Phoenix Mercury in 2000. Coach Sharp became the Head Coach of the Phoenix Mercury during the remainder of the 2002 season after Cynthia Cooper resigned the position.
Sharp has coached at every level with the exception of the NCAA Division II and Junior College women’s basketball levels.
