Former Big Ten coach hired to lead USC Beaufort women’s basketball program
The most successful head coach in Purdue women’s basketball history has been named the first coach in the USC Beaufort program’s history.
The school announced Sharon Versyp’s hire on Wednesday. The Sand Sharks will begin play for the 2023-24 season.
“Coach Versyp’s experience, passion for the development of student-athletes, and vision for the program stood out amongst the tremendous response to our women’s basketball search,” Genia Montford said in a school news release announcing the hire. Montford is USC Beaufort’s associate director of athletics, senior woman administrator and women’s basketball search committee chair.
Versyp’s hire comes a few weeks after USC Beaufort announced Ron Fudala would be its men’s basketball coach. Both teams will compete in the Division II Peach Belt Conference.
“As we look to start women’s basketball, we could not have asked for a better leader and teacher of the game to kickstart our program,” USC Beaufort athletic director Quin Monahan said in a school statement.
Versyp had 301 victories on the Boilermakers sidelines in her 20 seasons there. Before Purdue, she coached at Indiana and Maine and has won 418 games in her three career stops.
Versyp led Purdue to four Big Ten Tournament championships, nine NCAA tournament appearances and two Elite Eight appearances in 15 years before stepping down in 2021. . Her 149 career Big Ten wins is fifth most in conference history.
“I am extremely honored to lead the first women’s basketball program and to build it on a solid foundation at USCB,” Versyp said through the school news release.
This story was originally published October 26, 2022 at 10:37 AM.
