The Journey: Alaura Sharp's 'humble roots' pave way for Appalachian State opportunity

On3’s Talia Goodman is showcasing women’s college basketball coaches taking over at new schools. This is the first edition of the series – in which we’ll take a deeper look at some of the 50-plus coaches who took over new programs during a turbulent offseason. 

Alaura Sharp bio

BORN: Fredonia, Kansas

EXPERIENCE: 2008-09: Lamar Community College (head coach), 2009-13: Garden City Community College (head coach), 2014-16: Southern Miss (associate head coach), 2016-18: Louisiana Tech (assistant coach), 2018-24: Presbyterian (head coach)

PLAYED: Fort Scott (Kansas) Community College, Southwest Minnesota State

CAREER RECORD: 76-102 (Presbyterian)

Alaura Sharp is coming off of the most monumental season of her coaching career. She took Presbyterian, the smallest Division I school in the country, to their first-ever NCAA Tournament – and then they won their first NCAA Tournament game in the First Four. 

She took the program to new heights and accomplished goals she’d only ever dreamed of. And after the season’s conclusion, she was rewarded with a ‘dream come true’ opportunity: to be the next head coach at Appalachian State. 

Why Appalachian State?

Alaura Sharp had been following the Mountaineers for the past few years because their men’s basketball head coach, Dustin Kerns, had been at Presbyterian before getting the Appalachian State job. 

“I started following some of the App State athletic pages and his page,” Sharp said. “Then your algorithm starts becoming App State, and I’m following along and I just think, how amazing. I’m a student of the game, and so I came through a few times to watch his team workout, meet with them a little bit and have the opportunity to come to Boone. I just remember thinking, how amazing would this be?” 

The unlikely run that ensued for Presbyterian gave Sharp the opportunity to rejoin Kerns and make the jump from a school with 900 students to one with nearly 20,000 and a football program. 

“I’m excited for football,” Sharp said. “This is the first time I’ve been to a national spotlight type of football program. The football games are sold out and our team won a bowl game and has won the division several times. I’m really looking forward to my first football game.”

But more than that, she’s grateful for the opportunity to build up another program. Part of her motivation to get a more high-profile job was retaining her staff. She wanted to be able to not only keep them but give them a raise. When she got the job at Appalachian State, that was possible. 

“I feel like it’s the opportunity of a lifetime for me,” Sharp said. “I’m so excited, thankful, proud – all of the emotions – to lead this great program.” 

Alaura Sharp’s coaching style

In her six years at Presbyterian, one thing has been constant: the team’s work ethic. 

“When you watch our teams, I want people to see a team that plays hard and together,” Sharp said. “We play with a resilient spirit. I’ve been a part of several comebacks and I definitely want to carry that into the Mountaineer program.”

Another key factor in Sharp’s game is a defensive zone she learned years ago from a men’s coach during her time at Southern Miss. 

“Defense is a lot more controllable,” Sharp said. “People who have coached against me know that I play this matchup zone that I learned from Donnie Tyndall. … We’ve kind of changed and tweaked it and made it our own. We’ll be known for that.” 

On offense, Sharp focuses on sharing the ball and trying to lead the league in assists per game. She also loves to find talented shooters. 

“I’m not a math person, but three is worth more than two,” Sharp said.  

Something you may not know about Alaura Sharp

Alaura Sharp built success from the ground up on the court, but she did the same off the court. 

“I grew up on a pig farm in Southeast Kansas,” Sharp said. “So I’m from kind of humble roots. I played junior college and Division II, so I think it’s kind of cool that I’m at this level now – kind of self-made.” 

Sharp’s first love was gymnastics. She did power tumbling and trampoline as a kid and her gymnastics coach took her to train at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs for a week. 

“That’s what made me really kind of fall in love with sports…,” Sharp said. ”It was just something I’ll never forget.” 

Sharp has high hopes for the Appalachian State program and has already gotten work recruiting high schoolers and transfers who fit into her vision. The program hasn’t been to the NCAA Tournament since 1999 and that will be the goal as Sharp takes on a new challenge. The saying in Boone is to “party like it’s 1999” and Sharp hopes her new additions and the roster she’s retained will help set a new standard for the Mountaineers’ future.