Sheri Coale Biography

Women's basketball and Oklahoma University are not synonymous. In fact Oklahoma dropped women's basketball from its athletic program in 1990 citing as the reason the program was not financially viable (read lack of interest -fan support). In fact the 1989-90 edition of the Sooner women's basketball team had produced a dismal 7-22 (.241) season which saw the team draw an average of 65 fans per game.

The death and burial of the Oklahoma women's basketball program was not to be. The University faced with growing pressure from the Women's Basketball Coaches Association decided in short order to reinstate women's basketball at OU much to the relief of at least the 65 fans who regularly attended games.

Over the next six seasons there were some ups in the program culminated by the Lady Sooners going to the postseason NCAA Tournament following the 1994-95 season and advancing to the second round.

The ups unfortunately were outweighed by the downs. As losing seasons and the coaches merry-go-round continued it was obvious the need for a coach who could provide direction, stability to the program and a passion to win was essential.

Marita Hynes associate AD was charged with the task of finding such a coach. To Hynes credit she took notice of what was right under her nose, not always an easy thing to do.

Sheri Coale had been operating at Norman (OK) High School as the head coach of the girls' basketball team for the past six seasons. Coale and her teams had compiled a heady 147-40 (.786) record and won two Class 6A State Championships. Coale's final two high school teams produced an incredible 53-2 (.964) record. During her tenure at Norman High School Coale was named All-Region Coach of the Year, All-State Coach of the Year and All-City High School Coach of the Year.

Other than the obvious; Coale had no college experience, Hynes was certain she was the right coach for the OU situation. As Hynes put it at the time: "Really, there wasn't any doubt in my mind she was the right person for the job,"

Eight seasons later, Coale has guided the Sooners to a 155-94 (.622)record, an average of 19 plus wins per season (26 wins a season over the last five), a 32-4 (.889) mark, best in OU and Big 12 history, in the 2001-02 season. Additionally Coale has been named Big 12 Coach of the Year, coached the Sooners to three regular season Big 12 Conference titles, won the Big 12 Tournament defeating three nationally ranked teams in the process and led her team to the postseason NCAA "Big Dance" five times including playing for the national championship following the 2001-02 season and achieved a postseason number two nationl ranking by both the AP and USA Today/Coaches polls, the Sooners' highest in the history of the school.

Despite the "gamble", hiring Coale, in retrospect and of course armed with the results its easy to say the decision back in 1996 was a "no brainer." Whatever the case may be any OU fan can take pleasure in Marita Hynes, the then assistant Athletic Director responsible for recommending Coale be hired, recent statement: "It makes my heart swell," she said of the Lady Sooners.

Along with the continued improvement in the Lady Sooners' play and increasing win totals comes a marked improvement in attendance. The early 90's fan base of 65 has swelled many many times over.

The Sooners' have routinely ranked in the nation's top 20 in women's basketball home attendance the last several seasons. The latest attendance milestone the Lady Sooners established was in late 2003 when over 12,000 fans came out to see the OU Sooners' attempt to repel the Tennessee Lady Volunteers' invasion.

In Coale's tenure over a million fans have come to the Lloyd Noble Center to see the Lady Sooners do what they do best, win basketball games. Coale knows she has not accomplished this staggering turnaround by herself, she acknowledges she had help, a great deal of help.

Speaking of the program Coale says: "A lot of people helped establish this program, not just myself. "Many players and coaches have helped along the way. We took a hit the first couple of years, but with the play of Phylesha Whaley, Stacey Dales, LaNeishea Caufield, Desiree Taylor and many other players we have established Oklahoma women's basketball. Jan Ross (assistant coach) has been here with me every step of the way, helping bring this program to where it is today."

Coale continued: "The country's perception has changed about Oklahoma because of the people surrounding me. We want to hang banners and win championships. OU is now among the elite women's programs in the country." Coale is about more than "just basketball." While in college she was an Academic All-American and graduated summa cum laude from Oklahoma Christian University. She believes strongly success in the classroom is vital for a well rounded education that will stand her student-athletes in good stead once school is completed.

Four of Coale's teams have been named to the Top 25 WBCA Academic Team Honor Roll. Twenty two of her players have achieved Academic All-Big 12 honors on 47 separate occasions.

Coale has coached an Academic/Athletic All-American who received both honors in the same season and was voted the Verizon Academic Student-Athlete of the Year for all NCAA Division I athletics. In addition Coale has coached two other Academic All-American student/athletes.

Coale saw one of her players earn Olympic status and become OU's first two-time Kodak first team All-American. She has coached three All-American players, two Big 12 Players' of the Year accorded this honor on three separate occasions, eight players who earned all-conference honors on 20 different occasions, three players chosen for the 2002 NCAA Regional All-Tournament team, two players who earned NCAA Final Four All-Tournament honors and five players who were WNBA draft choices.

Coale was tapped as an assistant coach for the 2001 USA Basketball Women's Junior World Championship Team which won a bronze medal in Czechoslovakia.

Two of Coale's players played international basketball. One player helped the US to a gold medal at the World University Games held at Beijing, China in 2001. The second player represented USA Basketball at the 2003 World University Games held at Daegu, South Korea.

Another attribute in Coale's arsenal of being a well-rounded person is community service. Her philosophy is quite simple yet speaks volumes about Coale as a person. She believes the community whose support for the team is critical deserves support in return from the student-athletes.

Coale's players participate in the Sooner's Big Sis Program which is designed to allow the players to volunteer as mentors and teacher's aides to local elementary schools surrounding OU.

Additionally, each season the team selects and volunteers to help a nonprofit organization such as "Meals on Wheels", the Norman Women's Resource Center or the Battered Women's Shelter.

As an additional service to the community for Coale's eight year tenure her players have helped host the area Special Olympics.

Coale graduated summa cum laude from Oklahoma Christian University

Some of her accomplishments are:

Head coach Norman (OK) High School - six seasons
Compiled a 147-40 (.786) record at Norman HS
Final two seasons went 53-2 (.964) at Norman HS
Named All-Region Coach of the Year
Named All-State Coach of the Year
Named All-City Coach of the Year
Accepted Oklahoma Sooners head coach women's basketball - 1996
Has coached the Lady Sooners to a 155-94 (.622) record - eight seasons
Averaged 19 plus wins per season - eight seasons
Averaged 26 wins per season - last five seasons
Went 32-4 (.889) best in Oklahoma University and Big Ten history - 2001-02 season
Named Big 12 Coach of the Year
Coached OU Sooners to three regular season Big 12 Conference titles
Won a Big 12 Tournament - defeated three nationally ranked teams
Led Sooners to postseason NCAA "Big Dance" five times
Played for the national championship following the 2001-02 season
Achieved a best in school history postseason number two national ranking from both the AP and USA Today/Coaches polls
Routinely ranked in the nation's top 20 in women's basketball home attendance the last several seasons
Latest attendance milestone the Lady Sooners established was in late 2003 when over 12,000 fans came out
During Coale's tenure over a million fans have come to the Lloyd Noble Center to see the Lady Sooners
Four of Coale's teams have been named to the Top 25 WBCA Academic Team Honor Roll
Twenty two of her players have achieved Academic All-Big 12 honors on 47 separate occasions
Coached an Academic/Athletic All-American who received both honors in the same season
Coached a Verizon Academic Student-Athlete of the Year for all NCAA Division I athletics
Coached two other Academic All-American student/athletes
Saw one of her players earn Olympic status and become OU's first two-time Kodak first team All-American
Coached three All-American players
Coached two Big 12 Players' of the Year accorded this honor on three separate occasions
Coached eight players who earned all-conference honors on 20 different occasions
Coached three players chosen for the 2002 NCAA Regional All-Tournament team
Coached two players who earned NCAA Final Four All-Tournament honors
Coached five players who were WNBA draft choices
Assistant coach for 2001 USA Basketball Women's Junior World Championship Team which won a bronze medal
Had Two Lady Sooners play international basketball
Academic All-American in college
Graduated summa cum laude from Oklahoma Christian University