Alaura Sharp
{{Short description|American basketball coach (born October 12,1977)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2024}}
{{Infobox college coach
| name = Alaura Sharp
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| current_title = Head Coach
| current_team = Appalachian State
| current_conference = Sun Belt
| current_record = {{winpct|13|17|record=y}}
| contract =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1977|10|12}}
| birth_place = Fredonia, Kansas
| death_date =
| death_place =
| alma_mater = Southwest Minnesota State (BA) ('06)
| coach_years1 = 2006–2008
| coach_team1 = Adams State (asst.)
| coach_years2 = 2008–2009
| coach_team2 = Lamar CC
| coach_years3 = 2009–2013
| coach_team3 = Garden City CC
| coach_years4 = 2013–2015
| coach_team4 = Southern Miss. (Assoc. HC)
| coach_years5 = 2015–2018
| coach_team5 = Louisiana Tech (Assoc. HC)
| coach_years6 = 2018–2024
| coach_team6 = Presbyterian
| coach_years7 = 2024–present
| coach_team7 = Appalachian State
| overall_record = {{winpct|201|168|record=y}}
| tournament_record = 1–1 (NCAA)
| championships = 2024 Big South Tournament
| awards =
| coaching_records =
}}
Alaura Sharp is an American college basketball coach and is the current head coach of the Appalachian State Mountaineers women's basketball team.{{cite web|url=https://appstatesports.com/news/2024/4/5/womens-basketball-app-state-welcomes-alaura-sharp-as-womens-basketball-head-coach.aspx|title=App State Welcomes Alaura Sharp as Women’s Basketball Head Coach|website=AppStateSports.com}} She previously served as the head coach of the Presbyterian Blue Hose women's basketball team from 2018 to 2024.{{cite web|url=https://gobluehose.com/news/2024/4/5/womens-basketball-sharp-steps-down-as-presbyterians-womens-basketball-coach.aspx|title=Sharp Steps Down as Presbyterian’s Women’s Basketball Coach|website=gobluehose.com}} 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.{{cite web|url=https://www.foxcarolina.com/2024/04/05/sharp-steps-down-presbyterians-womens-basketball-coach/|title=Sharp Steps Down as Presbyterian’s Women’s Basketball Coach|website=FoxCarolina.com}}
Coaching career
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. 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.{{cite web|url=https://www.presby.edu/about/campus-directory/staff/alaura-sharp/|title=Alaura Sharp Bio|website=Presby.edu}}
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.{{cite web |url=https://www.thestate.com/sports/college/university-of-south-carolina/usc-womens-basketball/article287020825.html|title=Presbyterian coach shouts out USC’s Dawn Staley for classy pregame gesture |last=Fowler |first=Chapel |website=thestate.com |date=2024-03-23 |access-date=2024-04-06}}
On April 5, 2024, Sharp was announced as the new head coach of the Appalachian State Mountaineers women's basketball team.{{cite web |url=https://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/sports/college/2024/04/05/alaura-sharp-app-state-womens-basketball-coach-presbyterian/73217595007/|title=Alaura Sharp leaves Presbyterian after program's first March Madness for App State |last=Shanesy |first=Todd |website=greenvilleonline.com |date=2024-04-05 |access-date=2024-04-05}}
Head coaching record
=NCAA DI=
{{CBB Yearly Record Start|type=coach|conference =|postseason=|poll=both}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead
| name =Presbyterian Blue Hose
| conference=Big South
| startyear =2018
| endyear =2024
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship=
| season= 2018–19
| name= Presbyterian
| overall= 7–24
| conference = 4–14
| confstanding= 9th
| postseason=
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship=
| season= 2019–20
| name= Presbyterian
| overall= 12–18
| conference= 7–13
| confstanding= 9th
| postseason= Postseason Canceled
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship=
| season= 2020–21
| name= Presbyterian
| overall= 11–10
| conference= 10–8
| confstanding= 5th
| postseason=
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship=
| season= 2021–22
| name= Presbyterian
| overall= 12–18
| conference= 6–12
| confstanding= 8th
| postseason=
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship=
| season= 2022–23
| name= Presbyterian
| overall= 13–17
| conference= 9–9
| confstanding= 4th
| postseason=
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship= conference tournament
| season= 2023–24
| name= Presbyterian
| overall= 21–15
| conference= 8–8
| confstanding= 5th
| postseason= NCAA First Round
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = Presbyterian
| overall = {{winpct|76|102|record=y}}
| confrecord = {{winpct|44|64|record=y}}
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead
| name =Appalachian State Mountaineers
| conference=Sun Belt
| startyear =2024
| endyear =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship=
| season= 2024–25
| name= Appalachian State
| overall= 13–17
| conference= 9–9
| confstanding= T–5th
| postseason=
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = Appalachian State
| overall = {{winpct|13|17|record=y}}
| confrecord = {{winpct|9|9|record=y}}
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record End
| overall = {{winpct|89|119|record=y}}
| poll =
| polltype =
| polltype2 =
}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/coaches/alaura-sharp-1.html Alaura Sharp] at sports-reference.com
- [https://www.presby.edu/about/campus-directory/staff/alaura-sharp/ Alaura Sharp] at presby.edu
- [https://smsumustangs.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/alaura-sharp/8981 Alaura Sharp] at smsumustangs.com
{{Sun Belt Conference women's basketball coach navbox}}
{{Appalachian State Mountaineers women's basketball coach navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sharp, Alaura}}
Category:People from Fredonia, Kansas
Category:American women's basketball coaches
Category:American women's basketball players
Category:Appalachian State Mountaineers women's basketball coaches
Category:Basketball coaches from Kansas
Category:Basketball players from Kansas
Category:Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters basketball coaches
Category:Presbyterian Blue Hose women's basketball coaches
Category:Southern Miss Lady Eagles basketball coaches