ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
In 25 years as the head coach of the University of Oklahoma's women’s basketball team, the numbers speak for themselves. Sherri Coale led her program to three final fours, won six Big 12 Regular Season Championships, four Big 12 Tournament Championships, had 19 straight NCAA Tournament appearances, and nine Sweet 16 appearances. While developing 13 All-Americans and 64 All-Big 12 Team selections, Coale also emphasized academics as the Sooners had 127 Academic All-Big 12 honors during her tenure. That progress and consistent success elevated Coale to elite status in college basketball as well as a spot in the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2016.
Coale wasn't only concerned with academics and athletics, she has also long been passionate about giving back to the community, Getting her teams involved within the Sooner family and the community was always a priority for Coale. She believed it was important for her student-athletes to give back to the community that supports them.
Coale’s husband Dane, whom she met while at Oklahoma Christian University, was formerly the head baseball coach at Purcell High School. She married the former OC baseball player in June 1987. The couple has two children, son Colton, 29, and daughter, Chandler, 25, and one amazing granddaughter, Austyn, born May 8, 2021.
MARKETING AND PUBLICITY:
What Drives Winning: The Sherri Coale Archives
Click to watch:
Sherri’s Hall of Fame Acceptance Speech
Oklahoma University produced a documentary, Neath a Western Sky, about Sherri’s life in 2016, the year she was inducted into the Hall of Fame. The two- hour documentary details the life of Coale, growing up in the small town of Headlton, her time as a student-athlete at Oklahoma Christian and her transformation of the Oklahoma women’s basketball program. The film reflects back to the Sooners’ three Final Four appearances, 10 Big 12 Championships as well as the countless players that have helped build the Oklahoma program.
CAREER ACCOLADES
• Overall Record: 501-282 (.639)
• Winningest coach in OU history
• 19 consecutive NCAA tournament appearances
• Three Final Fours (2002, 2009, 2010)
• Six Big 12 regular season titles (2000, 2001, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2009)
• Four Big 12 tournament titles (2002, 2004, 2006, 2007)
• Four-time Big 12 Coach of the Year (2000, 2001, 2006, 2009)
• Kay Yow Cancer Fund Board of Directors
• Kay Yow Cancer Fund President
• Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame, Class of 2020
• Kay Yow Cancer Fund Impact Award, 2019
• Oklahoma Women’s Hall of Fame 2017
• Oklahoma Christian College Hall of Fame
• Norman High School Wall of Fame
• Spirit of Oklahoma 2014,2017
• Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, Class of 2016
• USA Basketball World University Games --Gold Medal (Head Coach), 2013
SHERRI HAS COACHED:
• 13 All-Americans
• Six Big 12 Players of the Year
• Seven Big 12 Freshmen of the Year
• 68 All-Big 12 Team selections
• 66 players to 131 Academic All-Big 12 honors
• 16 CoSIDA Academic All-District Team members
• 2020 Academic All-America Hall of Fame inductee Stacey Dales
• Five CoSIDA Academic All-America Team Members
• 16 WNBA draft selections
• WNBA Champion Courtney Paris (2018, Seattle Storm) and WNBA Runner Up Danielle
Robinson (2020, Las Vegas Aces)
• 2007 AP Player of the Year Courtney Paris
• 2009 Honda Sport Award winner Courtney Paris
• Six Naismith Player of the Year finalists
• Three-time Nancy Lieberman Award Finalist Danielle Robinson (2009-11)
• Five Wade Trophy finalists
• Four-time Wooden Award finalist Courtney Paris (2006-09)
• 12 WBCA District V team members
• Two Final Four all-tournament team members (Stacey Dales, 2002; Danielle Robinson,
2010)
• 12 NCAA Regional All-Tournament Team members
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