Alaura Sharp is an American college basketball coach and is the current head coach of the Appalachian State Mountaineers women's basketball team.[1] She previously served as the head coach of the Presbyterian Blue Hose women's basketball team from 2018 to 2024.[2] At Presbyterian, she led her team to their first ever NCAA Tournament and their first ever NCAA tournament win when they beat the Sacred Heart Pioneers 49–42 in a First Four matchup.[3]

Alaura Sharp
Current position
TitleHead Coach
TeamAppalachian State
ConferenceSun Belt
Record0–0 (–)
Biographical details
BornFredonia, Kansas
Alma materSouthwest Minnesota State (BA) ('06)
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
2006–2008Adams State (asst.)
2008–2009Lamar CC
2009–2013Garden City CC
2013–2015Southern Miss. (Assoc. HC)
2015–2018Louisiana Tech (Assoc. HC)
2018–2024Presbyterian
2024–presentAppalachian State
Head coaching record
Overall76–102 (.427)
Tournaments1–1 (NCAA)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
2024 Big South Tournament

Coaching career

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Sharp played basketball for the women's basketball team at Southwest Minnesota State University. After graduation, she landed her first coaching job as an assistant coach at Adams State University. Following a two-year stint at Adams State, Sharp accepted a head coaching position at Lamar Community College in Colorado. At the conclusion of the 2008–2009 season, Sharp became the head coach of the women's basketball team at Garden City Community College and remained in that position for four years. During that time she compiled an 83–45 record, defeated 11 nationally ranked teams, and turned the Broncbusters into a top contender each year in the tough Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference and Region VI.[1] In 2012–13, Sharp guided Garden City Community College to its best record in school history at 29-4 and a No. 13 ranking in the NJCAA polls.[4]

Following her success at the JuCo level, she was hired as an associate head coach at the University of Southern Mississippi. Following two years and two WNIT appearances with Southern Mississippi University in 2014 and 2015, Sharp took another associate head coach and recruiting coordinator position with the Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters. During her time there, the team reached the 2017 Women's National Invitation Tournament.

In 2018, Sharp accepted her first Division I head coach coaching job at Presbyterian. From 2018 to 2024, Sharp won 76 games. During the 2023-2024 season, Sharp guided her team to a 2024 Big South Tournament championship. This secured the Presbyterian women's basketball team's first-ever trip to the NCAA Tournament. During a First Four matchup with the Sacred Heart Pioneers, Sharpe led Presbyterian to their first-ever NCAA tournament victory. Following the play-in game, Presbyterian faced an undefeated South Carolina Gamecocks team led by Dawn Staley. Although Presbyterian lost by 52 points to South Carolina, Sharp praised Staley for making a pregame visit to talk with her team who was making their first NCAA tournament appearance.[5]

On April 5, 2024, Sharp was announced as the new head coach of the Appalachian State Mountaineers women's basketball team.[6]

Head coaching record

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NCAA DI

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Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Presbyterian Blue Hose (Big South) (2018–2024)
2018–19 Presbyterian 7–24 4–14 9th
2019–20 Presbyterian 12–18 7–13 9th Postseason Canceled
2020–21 Presbyterian 11–10 10–8 5th
2021–22 Presbyterian 12–18 6–12 8th
2022–23 Presbyterian 13–17 9–9 4th
2023–24 Presbyterian 21–15 8–8 5th NCAA First Round
Presbyterian: 76–102 (.427) 44–64 (.407)
Appalachian State Mountaineers (Sun Belt) (2024–present)
2024–25 Appalachian State 0–0 0-0
Appalachian State: 0–0 (–) 0–0 (–)
Total: 76–102 (.427)

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

References

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  1. ^ a b "App State Welcomes Alaura Sharp as Women's Basketball Head Coach". AppStateSports.com.
  2. ^ "Sharp Steps Down as Presbyterian's Women's Basketball Coach". gobluehose.com.
  3. ^ "Sharp Steps Down as Presbyterian's Women's Basketball Coach". FoxCarolina.com.
  4. ^ "Alaura Sharp Bio". Presby.edu.
  5. ^ Fowler, Chapel (March 23, 2024). "Presbyterian coach shouts out USC's Dawn Staley for classy pregame gesture". thestate.com. Retrieved April 6, 2024.
  6. ^ Shanesy, Todd (April 5, 2024). "Alaura Sharp leaves Presbyterian after program's first March Madness for App State". greenvilleonline.com. Retrieved April 5, 2024.
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