Closing a Chapter
Coale retiring after 25 years, more than 500 wins, 3 Final Fours, 9 Sweet 16s and 10 conference championships.
Sherri Coale, one of the most accomplished and impactful head coaches in University of Oklahoma history in any sport, is retiring after a transformative 25 years at the helm of the OU women's basketball program. She informed her team Wednesday morning.
Owner of the most wins in OU women's basketball history and a member of the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, Coale was a four-time Big 12 Coach of the Year and directed the Sooners to 10 Big 12 championships (six regular season, four tournament) and 20 postseason appearances, including 19 consecutive NCAA Tournaments. She finished her collegiate career with a 513-294 (.636) overall record and a 253-167 (.601) mark in Big 12 play.
Coale's teams were especially potent in the postseason, evidenced by the fact that nine of her squads that qualified for the NCAA Tournament advanced to the Sweet 16 or beyond. Three of them barreled their way to the Final Four (2002, 2009, 2010), with the 2001-02 Sooners advancing to the national championship game. All told, her teams registered 31 NCAA Tournament wins, good for 15th most among Division I women's basketball coaches. Her three Final Four appearances are tied for eighth most in history.
Owner of the most wins in OU women's basketball history and a member of the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, Coale was a four-time Big 12 Coach of the Year and directed the Sooners to 10 Big 12 championships (six regular season, four tournament) and 20 postseason appearances, including 19 consecutive NCAA Tournaments. She finished her collegiate career with a 513-294 (.636) overall record and a 253-167 (.601) mark in Big 12 play.
Coale's teams were especially potent in the postseason, evidenced by the fact that nine of her squads that qualified for the NCAA Tournament advanced to the Sweet 16 or beyond. Three of them barreled their way to the Final Four (2002, 2009, 2010), with the 2001-02 Sooners advancing to the national championship game. All told, her teams registered 31 NCAA Tournament wins, good for 15th most among Division I women's basketball coaches. Her three Final Four appearances are tied for eighth most in history.
Prominent Pupils
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In total, Coale coached OU players to four first-team All-America honors and six Big 12 Player of the Year accolades. Thirty-one Sooners earned a total of 65 all-conference honors under her direction. She also produced 14 WNBA Draft selections, including six first-round picks. Seventeen of her pupils played professionally overseas (in 27 countries on six continents).
Appointed by the NCAA to the USA Basketball Competition Committee in 2005, Coale herself experienced international success. In 2013, she led USA Basketball to a gold medal in the World University Games in Kazan, Russia, and as an assistant coach in 2001 helped USA's Women's Junior World Championship Team to a bronze medal in Brno, Czech Republic. |
All-American Stacey Dales on Coach Coale
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Bigger Than Basketball
The success of Coale's Oklahoma players was not limited to the hardwood. She made sure they understood that the methods and rules of her program would make them better athletes and students, and position them for success once they completed school. An accomplished student herself — she was an NAIA Scholar-Athlete Award winner and graduated summa cum laude from Oklahoma Christian — Coale presided over Sooner teams that compiled a combined GPA of 3.0 or higher in 41 of the 49 semesters since she arrived at OU. Sixty-seven of her players graduated from OU and 66 earned a total of 131 Academic All-Big 12 honors (the 2021 Academic All-Big 12 Team will be announced next week).
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Coale's OU program was also a perennial champion in the community. Her teams have long been involved in serving Norman and greater Oklahoma City through a variety of outreach programs, including the Sooner Big Sis Program, which enabled players to volunteer their time as mentors and teachers' aides at Norman elementary schools; Food and Shelter; the Mary Abbott Children's House; Habitat for Humanity; Oklahoma City Children's Hospital; J.D. McCarthy Center for Children with Developmental Disabilities; the Children's Miracle Network; the CCF; the United Way's "Meals on Wheels"; Special Olympics; Race for the Cure; and the Norman Women's Resource Center.
Since 2012, Coale served as a member of the Kay Yow Foundation's Board of Directors and in August 2019 received the Foundation's Impact Award, which is presented to an individual or organization exemplifying Coach Yow and the Foundation's values. |
Former players describe their coach
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Transformational
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The architect of Oklahoma's women's basketball renaissance, Coale was responsible for Lloyd Noble Center's skyrocketing attendance in the 2000s. The 50 largest home OU women's hoops crowds all came during Coale's tenure, including the record 12,205 that attended the Sooners' 2008 win over Oklahoma State. OU first surpassed the 10,000-spectator mark on Dec. 29, 1999, against top-ranked Connecticut (10,713 fans), and went on to rank third nationally in 2007-08 by averaging 10,253 fans per home contest. In 2008-09 alone, Coale's team drew more than 10,000 fans at six different home games.
Courtney Paris, the star of that 2008-09 squad, was perhaps the most notable of Coale's pupils. Paris, who returned to her alma mater as an assistant coach in 2020 after an 11-year professional career, was a three-time Big 12 Player of the Year and set a record nearly every time she stepped on the court. The first player in Oklahoma state history, man or woman, to earn AP National Player of the Year honors (2006-07 season), she was also the first four-time All-American by the Associated Press and U.S. Basketball Writers' Association. Additionally, she became the first college basketball player, regardless of gender or division, to record 2,500 career points and 2,000 career rebounds. Paris finished with 20 NCAA, 57 Big 12 Conference and 69 Oklahoma records — her most famous being a double-double streak of 112 games. |
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The point guard on OU's 2001-02 squad that reached the national title game, Stacey Dales was the 2001 and '02 Big 12 Player of the Year and finished her career as the league's all-time assists leader (764). Dales became OU's first two-time Kodak first-team All-America selection as well as Coale's first Olympian, representing Canada in the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia.
Oklahoma's three Final Four teams: 2002 (San Antonio), 2009 (St. Louis) & 2010 (San Antonio).
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From Healdton to the Hall
Coale, who grew up in Healdton, Okla., began her coaching career in the Oklahoma high school ranks. She received her first coaching assignment at Edmond Memorial High School after graduating from Oklahoma Christian, serving a two-year term as an assistant coach.
The next stop was as the head coach of the Norman High School girls' basketball team from 1990-96. Coale took a declining NHS program and after an 11-12 performance in her debut season, the Lady Tigers never had a losing record under her tutelage. By the time she left for OU, Coale had directed Norman to two Class 6A state championships and a 147-40 (.786) career record. Her final two Norman teams went 53-2. She was honored as the region, state and Big All-City High School Coach of the Year in 1993. Four of her high school players earned NCAA Division I basketball scholarships: Stacy Hansmeyer to Connecticut (1997-2000); Sarah Dimson to Stanford (1998-2001); and Sunny Hardeman (1998-2001) and Shannon Selmon (1999-2002) to Oklahoma. Hansmeyer and Coale were inducted into Norman High School Hall of Fame together in February 2002. Coale is also a member of the Oklahoma Christian Sports Hall of Fame. She will be inducted into the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame this summer. Castiglione indicated that a search to find Coale's replacement will begin immediately. |
Women's Basketball Hall of Fame induction speech
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Official Statements
Women’s Basketball Hall of Famer Sherri Coale
“Being the head coach at the University of Oklahoma has been the privilege of my lifetime.
“In April of 1996, I accepted this, my dream job. As a native Oklahoman, I was pretty sure I had died and gone to Heaven. Though the task would not be for the faint of heart, I just wanted to build a program that this great state and this storied institution could be proud of. Twenty-five years later, I still cannot believe the ride Oklahoma Women’s Basketball has taken me on.
“I arrive here today at the ending of a chapter and the beginning of another, engulfed in gratitude. The thick, goopy kind that comes from the middle of your bones. I am grateful to my family for letting me “pursue my life’s passionate obsession” (thank you Wright Thompson), for generously allowing me to take up too much room and for doubling the wins and dividing the losses. Without them, achievement of any kind would fall pretty flat.
“I am grateful to my players for letting me coach them. That’s a gift I’ve never taken lightly and a joy unlike any other I have ever known. I want them to know that they’ve left pieces of themselves in me and I am better for it.
“I am grateful to my staff for the sacrifices they made through the years. The loved they toiled with breathed a special life into our program. They readied the soil so that our teams could grow. And they never get enough credit for all the good they do.
“I am grateful to our leadership—to the late Donnie Duncan and his partner in big dreams, Marita Hynes, for having the courage to hire a high school coach with audacious plans; to Steve Owens for riding the early waves with Marita and I; and to the incomparable Joe Castiglione for shepherding our growth, for challenging our progress and for being there no matter what. To former President David Boren and current President Joe Harroz, I thank you for cultivating an institution that does what it’s supposed to do—prepare its students for an important and meaningful life.
“I am grateful to our competitors for stretching us, our fans for lifting us and our media for covering us. Our game has grown exponentially because of the commitment of you all.
“Through much prayer and the gifts of a year that provided pockets of stillness most years never produce, I have amazing clarity. Basketball was my first and deepest love and coaching has been this wonderfully amazing life that I can’t believe they pay me for. But there have always been other things I want to do. I’m ready to explore those things and I’m ready to run toward unfettered days with my brand-new beautiful granddaughter. Twenty-five years just feels right in my bones and in my soul.
“It’s never easy to leave no matter how great a thing you are running to, because something is always left behind. It’s hard to leave these players. This seasoned bunch of gritty competitors who built their wings in the fiercest of winds clawed their way to the sacredness of team. This season will always be one tattooed on my heart. But that’s the trick about sports and the magnificent gift of team — it gets in you and it never goes away. Lucky, lucky, lucky me.”
OU Vice President and Athletics Director Joe Castiglione
"Sherri Coale has encouraged everyone from players to peers to 'leave your story better than you found it.' She walked her talk. Her transformational impact on women's basketball at OU which, in turn, inspired generations of young girls throughout our state to play the sport is nearly impossible to measure. There are certainly milestones, from halls of fame inductions to Final Fours to conference titles to All-Americans and beyond, but it was the elevation of the program's profile to the nation's elite that will be best remembered.
"Across Oklahoma and the nation, the Sooner women's basketball program became a wildly popular and highly respected brand. Truly, Sherri set the stage for generations to come. But to focus only on the many on-the-court successes is to miss her impact on the lives of so many student-athletes. She always put her player's best interests first. Time and again, we saw the young women in our program develop in every facet of life. Her teams were super successful in the classroom and always engaged in serving the community.
"Sherri came to us as a coach and teacher and remained in both roles throughout her career. There are people who come into our lives and challenge us to think bigger, more deeply and more thoroughly. Many of us have a better story because Sherri was part of it. She is only closing the chapter on this portion of her story, and we look forward to what is next for her. What she leaves behind at the University of Oklahoma is a classic for the ages."
OU President Joseph Harroz Jr.
"Sherri is an iconic coach who has made an indelible impact on the national landscape of women's basketball. In the 25 years she has served as our head coach, she has influenced the lives of so many student-athletes and become an essential part of the fabric of our community. Sherri personifies the purpose of our university — "To change lives." We look forward to the next chapter of her story and are so proud of her as a leader of the OU community."
“Being the head coach at the University of Oklahoma has been the privilege of my lifetime.
“In April of 1996, I accepted this, my dream job. As a native Oklahoman, I was pretty sure I had died and gone to Heaven. Though the task would not be for the faint of heart, I just wanted to build a program that this great state and this storied institution could be proud of. Twenty-five years later, I still cannot believe the ride Oklahoma Women’s Basketball has taken me on.
“I arrive here today at the ending of a chapter and the beginning of another, engulfed in gratitude. The thick, goopy kind that comes from the middle of your bones. I am grateful to my family for letting me “pursue my life’s passionate obsession” (thank you Wright Thompson), for generously allowing me to take up too much room and for doubling the wins and dividing the losses. Without them, achievement of any kind would fall pretty flat.
“I am grateful to my players for letting me coach them. That’s a gift I’ve never taken lightly and a joy unlike any other I have ever known. I want them to know that they’ve left pieces of themselves in me and I am better for it.
“I am grateful to my staff for the sacrifices they made through the years. The loved they toiled with breathed a special life into our program. They readied the soil so that our teams could grow. And they never get enough credit for all the good they do.
“I am grateful to our leadership—to the late Donnie Duncan and his partner in big dreams, Marita Hynes, for having the courage to hire a high school coach with audacious plans; to Steve Owens for riding the early waves with Marita and I; and to the incomparable Joe Castiglione for shepherding our growth, for challenging our progress and for being there no matter what. To former President David Boren and current President Joe Harroz, I thank you for cultivating an institution that does what it’s supposed to do—prepare its students for an important and meaningful life.
“I am grateful to our competitors for stretching us, our fans for lifting us and our media for covering us. Our game has grown exponentially because of the commitment of you all.
“Through much prayer and the gifts of a year that provided pockets of stillness most years never produce, I have amazing clarity. Basketball was my first and deepest love and coaching has been this wonderfully amazing life that I can’t believe they pay me for. But there have always been other things I want to do. I’m ready to explore those things and I’m ready to run toward unfettered days with my brand-new beautiful granddaughter. Twenty-five years just feels right in my bones and in my soul.
“It’s never easy to leave no matter how great a thing you are running to, because something is always left behind. It’s hard to leave these players. This seasoned bunch of gritty competitors who built their wings in the fiercest of winds clawed their way to the sacredness of team. This season will always be one tattooed on my heart. But that’s the trick about sports and the magnificent gift of team — it gets in you and it never goes away. Lucky, lucky, lucky me.”
OU Vice President and Athletics Director Joe Castiglione
"Sherri Coale has encouraged everyone from players to peers to 'leave your story better than you found it.' She walked her talk. Her transformational impact on women's basketball at OU which, in turn, inspired generations of young girls throughout our state to play the sport is nearly impossible to measure. There are certainly milestones, from halls of fame inductions to Final Fours to conference titles to All-Americans and beyond, but it was the elevation of the program's profile to the nation's elite that will be best remembered.
"Across Oklahoma and the nation, the Sooner women's basketball program became a wildly popular and highly respected brand. Truly, Sherri set the stage for generations to come. But to focus only on the many on-the-court successes is to miss her impact on the lives of so many student-athletes. She always put her player's best interests first. Time and again, we saw the young women in our program develop in every facet of life. Her teams were super successful in the classroom and always engaged in serving the community.
"Sherri came to us as a coach and teacher and remained in both roles throughout her career. There are people who come into our lives and challenge us to think bigger, more deeply and more thoroughly. Many of us have a better story because Sherri was part of it. She is only closing the chapter on this portion of her story, and we look forward to what is next for her. What she leaves behind at the University of Oklahoma is a classic for the ages."
OU President Joseph Harroz Jr.
"Sherri is an iconic coach who has made an indelible impact on the national landscape of women's basketball. In the 25 years she has served as our head coach, she has influenced the lives of so many student-athletes and become an essential part of the fabric of our community. Sherri personifies the purpose of our university — "To change lives." We look forward to the next chapter of her story and are so proud of her as a leader of the OU community."
In Others' Words
Stephanie Glance, CEO, Kay Yow Cancer Fund
"Sherri Coale's amazing leadership transcends the sport of women's basketball and the boardroom, only to be measured by the multitude of lives she has impacted. Her vision and wisdom, much like that of Kay Yow, enables her to lead in a way that advances the standard of excellence on the court, in the classroom of life, and in her significant work as a current board member and former chair of the Kay Yow Cancer Fund. Thank you, Sherri, for who you are, and for all that you have given. You make the world a better place."
Marsha Sharp, Former Head Coach, Texas Tech
"There are no words to adequately express the impact Sherri Coale has had on women’s basketball, Oklahoma University and , of course, the young women who have played in this storied program. Her success on the court speaks for itself, but as we all know, it is all of the investments she makes in lives and causes, which will last for generations, that really define who she is. Sherri Coale coached for all the right reasons. I am so honored to call her my friend and I will miss watching her coach, but I also can’t wait to watch what she chooses to impact next. Well done Coach!"
K.J. Kindler, Head Coach, OU Women's Gymnastics
"My first encounter with Sherri was at an Athletic department meeting in 2006 that included the student-athletes at Dale Hall on campus. She spoke with such presence and passion that it was simply impossible not to respect her immediately. Her message was about integrity and the responsibility that accompanies being a Sooner Student-Athlete. I knew immediately what this Athletic Department was all about simply through her delivery. She had an appetite for excellence and the ability to inspire all those around her. Since that day, I have often sought her guidance professionally and she has always been willing to share her wisdom and advice. She has spoken to our teams and I always walk out of the room in awe of her ability to connect. I used her attendance success as a model to increase the attendance at our events. I am professionally grateful to have had the opportunity to tap into her leadership and listen to her perspective. I am personally thankful for her model of strength and resilience."
"Sherri Coale's amazing leadership transcends the sport of women's basketball and the boardroom, only to be measured by the multitude of lives she has impacted. Her vision and wisdom, much like that of Kay Yow, enables her to lead in a way that advances the standard of excellence on the court, in the classroom of life, and in her significant work as a current board member and former chair of the Kay Yow Cancer Fund. Thank you, Sherri, for who you are, and for all that you have given. You make the world a better place."
Marsha Sharp, Former Head Coach, Texas Tech
"There are no words to adequately express the impact Sherri Coale has had on women’s basketball, Oklahoma University and , of course, the young women who have played in this storied program. Her success on the court speaks for itself, but as we all know, it is all of the investments she makes in lives and causes, which will last for generations, that really define who she is. Sherri Coale coached for all the right reasons. I am so honored to call her my friend and I will miss watching her coach, but I also can’t wait to watch what she chooses to impact next. Well done Coach!"
K.J. Kindler, Head Coach, OU Women's Gymnastics
"My first encounter with Sherri was at an Athletic department meeting in 2006 that included the student-athletes at Dale Hall on campus. She spoke with such presence and passion that it was simply impossible not to respect her immediately. Her message was about integrity and the responsibility that accompanies being a Sooner Student-Athlete. I knew immediately what this Athletic Department was all about simply through her delivery. She had an appetite for excellence and the ability to inspire all those around her. Since that day, I have often sought her guidance professionally and she has always been willing to share her wisdom and advice. She has spoken to our teams and I always walk out of the room in awe of her ability to connect. I used her attendance success as a model to increase the attendance at our events. I am professionally grateful to have had the opportunity to tap into her leadership and listen to her perspective. I am personally thankful for her model of strength and resilience."
