IU’s Versyp to take coaching job at Purdue

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Former University of Maine coach Sharon Versyp will return to Purdue, her alma mater, as the women’s basketball coach after one year at rival Indiana.

She succeeds Kristy Curry, who resigned last week to become the coach at Texas Tech. Versyp was a four-year starter at Purdue.

Versyp is on vacation until Sunday, so the school will make a formal announcement next week, Purdue athletic director Morgan Burke said Friday.

“Sharon is our choice, and she is excited about returning to her alma mater,” he said.

Versyp, a former Indiana high school Miss Basketball, led the Hoosiers to a 19-14 record and a 9-7 mark in the Big Ten. She returned to her home state last year after compiling a 98-51 record and three straight America East Conference regular-season titles in her five years with the Black Bears. Maine won the conference tournament championship in 2004, advancing to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2000.

The Bears also made WNIT appearances in 2003 and 2005.

In Versyp’s last three seasons, UMaine went 49-3 in America East play. She was named the league coach of the year in 2003 and 2005.

During the 2002-03 and 2003-04 seasons, Versyp became the first coach to direct the UMaine women to 25 victories in back-to-back seasons.

Versyp was hired as UMaine head coach on May 15, 2000. It was her first collegiate head coaching post.

She left Maine in the second year of a three-year contract, earning $103,000 in her last season.

At the time Versyp declined to divulge any terms of her contract with Indiana, but the Indianapolis Star reported that she agreed to a five-year contract that would pay about $200,000 plus incentives per year.