Feb. 24, 2006

"Marsha Sharp has been such a great coach and a wonderful ambassador for the sport that it is difficult to put into words how much she will be missed in the coaching profession. I am sure that she will continue to play a big role in the promotion of women's basketball as she moves away from active coaching. Marsha's program at Texas Tech has been a model for the growth and success of women's basketball and has been an important catalyst in the growth of the sport in the Big 12 Conference. We wish Marsha the best as she moves into a different role and pursues other interests."

~Kevin Weiberg, Big 12 Commissioner

"I am in total shock and disbelief! I wish her the best in whatever path she chooses from here. Coach Sharp is an incredible person and an amazing coach. She has been very good to me and I have learned a great deal from her. She is a class act! She should be applauded for all the great things that she has done for our profession and Texas Tech University. She is one in a million! I wish her the best!"

~Cindy Stein, Missouri Head Women's Basketball Coach

"Marsha Sharp represents everything that is good about women's basketball. So many of the opportunities we have been afforded in the last 10 years have been a result of the pioneering efforts of coaches like her. She has been an incredible mentor to me. I feel so fortunate to have come into this profession and into the Big 12 conference and to have had the positive influence of Marsha and her entire program. They just emanate class. Everything about Texas Tech women's basketball is class. I appreciate the relationship I have had with Marsha through the years and the competitive rivalry we have had. I feel like I have been given a gift in being able to coach against her. We will miss her. It is a tremendous loss for our league and tremendous loss for the sport of women's basketball. Nobody does it better than Marsha."

~Sherri Coale, Oklahoma Head Women's Basketball Coach

"First of all, I am hopeful that this is not health-related. Coaching at the level we do is a hard job, and Marsha has done this for a very long time at a very high level. She will be missed. Marsha is one of those solid people in our profession who has really been instrumental in the growth of our sport. She and her work at Texas Tech have helped us get great visibility and credibility for the sport of women's basketball, and let's not forget about the long line of wonderful players she has developed. This is a very hard business, and Marsha has been at it for a long time. She started with nothing and has built Texas Tech to what now is one of the top program's in terms of tremendous fan support and success."

~Jody Conradt, Texas Head Women's Basketball Coach

"Marsha Sharp is the epitome of what a young coach should aspire to be. She built a dynasty at Texas Tech and did it with class, integrity, and teams that were well schooled on fundamentals. She was the first coach that showed she could market to the fans, appeal to the people, and recruit as a person and coach at the national level. As a result, Texas Tech had to build an arena large enough to host a top 10 program. As an alum, it makes me very proud to call her a friend and a mentor. I'm proud that she had the first program to win a national championship at Tech. Good ladies can finish first."

~Gary Blair, Texas A&M Head Women's Basketball Coach

"The resignation of Marsha Sharp is a great loss to the coaching profession. She is a great role model who has meant so much to so many people over the years, and I personally have watched her career with great admiration and respect for what she has been able to accomplish. Through all of her success, what has always impressed me the most was how she did it with dignity and class. Her kindness separates her from others. I just saw her two days ago when we were in Lubbock and she didn't say a thing which is typical of her -- she was more interested in knowing how I was doing. Working alongside her on the WBCA board of directors and learning from her professionalism and wisdom was also a great honor. I am happy that she made a decision that is best for her and I wish her nothing but the best."

~Bonnie Henrickson, Kansas Head Women's Basketball Coach