Legend of the Game: Former Oklahoma Women’s Basketball Coach Sherri Coale Passes Away at 59
Sooner Nation Mourns the Loss of a Hall of Fame Coach, Trailblazer, and Educator
Legend of the Game: Former Oklahoma Women’s Basketball Coach Sherri Coale Passes Away at 59
Sooner Nation Mourns the Loss of a Hall of Fame Coach, Trailblazer, and Educator
A Towering Figure in Women’s Basketball Passes Away
Norman, Oklahoma – May 8, 2025 – Sherri Coale, the Hall of Fame coach who built the University of Oklahoma’s women’s basketball program into a national powerhouse over a 25-year tenure, passed away Wednesday evening at the age of 59. A cause of death has not been formally announced by the family, though sources close to the program confirmed she had been privately battling a rare form of cancer.
Coale, who retired in 2021, leaves behind a rich legacy that transcends sport. She was more than a basketball coach—she was a mentor, a teacher, a symbol of resilience, and a beacon of excellence for generations of student-athletes.
From Small-Town Oklahoma to the National Stage
Sherri Kay Coale was born on January 19, 1966, in Healdton, Oklahoma. Raised in a small community where values like hard work and humility ran deep, Coale found early purpose in the game of basketball. After a standout high school career, she went on to play collegiate basketball at Oklahoma Christian University, where she honed her leadership instincts and court vision.
She began her coaching career at the high school level, serving at Norman High School for six seasons before being hired as Oklahoma’s women’s basketball head coach in 1996. At the time, the Sooners were languishing in obscurity. They hadn’t reached the NCAA Tournament in five years. Within a decade, Coale had not only restored respectability but established dominance.
The Rise of a Dynasty
Under Coale’s guidance, Oklahoma made 19 NCAA Tournament appearances between 2000 and 2021. She led the team to three Final Fours (2002, 2009, 2010), six Big 12 regular season titles, and four Big 12 Tournament championships. Her 2002 squad came within one victory of winning the national championship, falling only to UConn in the title game.
That 2001–02 team—featuring stars like Stacey Dales and Caton Hill—became a national symbol of team-oriented basketball and fearless leadership. For the rest of her career, Coale’s programs were known for their tenacious defense, fluid ball movement, and a culture that emphasized character as much as talent.
By the time she retired in 2021, Coale had compiled a career record of 513–294, becoming the winningest coach in Oklahoma women’s basketball history.
Off the Court: A Mentor and Scholar
Sherri Coale’s influence extended well beyond the hardwood. She was an advocate for education, equality, and the holistic development of student-athletes. Many of her former players went on to become coaches, broadcasters, educators, and leaders in their own right. Her coaching tree runs deep, not just in basketball, but in life.
Coale was widely regarded as one of the most articulate voices in college athletics. She published essays and delivered lectures on leadership, identity, and purpose. Her 2013 TEDx Talk, titled “Investing in the Gap”, resonated across generations and was viewed over 250,000 times online.
In 2016, she was inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, a moment that capped a two-decade journey that began with skepticism and ended with reverence.
Tributes Pour In from Across the Country
Within hours of the news breaking, tributes began flooding social media. The University of Oklahoma lowered flags to half-staff, and a memorial service has been scheduled for Sunday at the Lloyd Noble Center.
Patty Gasso, Oklahoma’s legendary softball coach, posted:
“Sherri Coale changed this university, and she changed my life. I’ll never forget the fire in her eyes when she talked about empowering women. She was one of one.”
Stacey Dales, one of Coale’s former players and now a prominent sports broadcaster, wrote:
“Heartbroken. Coach Coale gave me a home, a purpose, and a future. Her voice is in my head every time I’m on air. I owe her everything.”
Porter Moser, Oklahoma’s current men’s basketball coach, stated:
“We’ve lost a titan—not just of basketball, but of education and human connection. Sherri was a coach’s coach, and a friend to all.”
A Private Battle Fought with Public Grace
While Coale had maintained a relatively low profile since her retirement, she remained active in mentoring coaches, speaking at clinics, and advocating for women in sports. It is now known that she had been privately battling cancer over the last two years. Despite her illness, she continued to support the program from afar and was present at several games during the 2023–24 season.
“She didn’t want sympathy,” said a family friend. “She wanted celebration—of her life, her team, her family. That was Sherri.”
Funeral and Memorial Details
A public memorial service will be held at the Lloyd Noble Center in Norman on Sunday, May 11th at 2:00 PM, with doors opening at noon. Thousands are expected to attend, including former players, coaches, and community leaders.
The family has requested that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Sherri Coale Education and Leadership Fund, a scholarship initiative she helped found to support women pursuing degrees in education and leadership.
A Lasting Legacy Etched in Stone and Soul
In 2022, the University of Oklahoma renamed the Sooner Women’s Basketball Practice Facility as the Sherri Coale Leadership Center, a tribute that now serves as a permanent reminder of her profound impact. But her true legacy isn’t measured in wins or trophies—it’s in the lives she touched.
For 25 years, she built something that no illness could take away: a culture of grace, grit, and greatness.
A Final Word
To understand Sherri Coale is to understand what it means to lead with compassion, to fight with dignity, and to dream without limits. She taught us that basketball could be a vehicle—not just for championships, but for transformation.
She was the heart of Oklahoma women’s basketball. And now, even in passing, her spirit continues to echo in every bounce of the ball, every lift of the chin, and every word of encouragement whispered from one generation to the next.
Rest in peace, Coach Coale. You will never be forgotten.
