The winningest coach in Purdue history, a four-time Big Ten champion, head coach Sharon Versyp retired Sept. 16, 2021, after leading the Boilermakers for 15 seasons.
Just as she did as a player, head coach Sharon Versyp put her stamp on the Purdue women's basketball program. The former Boilermaker point guard led Purdue to four Big Ten Tournament championships and two NCAA Tournament Elite Eight appearances in her 15 seasons as the head coach at her alma mater. She is the winningest coach in program history, with 301 victories on the Boilermakers sidelines, good for 20 per year, and her 20-year career record as a head coach stands at 418-257. She added the Boilermakers’ career Big Ten victories record to her list of accolades in 2018-19, collecting 136 at Purdue, and her 149 career Big Ten wins is fifth-most in conference history.
The Succession Plan
As the 2020-21 campaign started to come to a close, Versyp played an important role in facilitating the future era of Purdue Basketball. Versyp welcomed Purdue All-American Katie Gearlds to the staff in March of 2020 as an associate head coach for the 2021-22 campaign. Gearlds was a member of Purdue's 2007 Elite Eight team during Versyp's first season in West Lafayette. Gearlds went from an All-Big Ten selection to All-America honors under Versyp's tutelage and later became the highest draft pick in program history, going seventh overall to the Seattle Storm in the 2007 WNBA Draft. The pair have remained close ever since that special season in 2006-07 and led to the sucession plan where Gearlds will become the head coach at the conclusion of the 2021-22 season.
Hall of Famer
zVersyp's impact on basketball in the Hoosier state was recognized on April 24, 2010, when she was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in her first year of eligibility, an honor that includes Larry Bird and John Wooden. On June 22, 2013, Versyp was inducted into New England Basketball Hall of Fame for her stint as the head coach at Maine as well as her ensuing success. In addition to being named the America East Conference Coach of the Year in 2003 and 2005, Versyp was named the 2007 WBCA Region VI Coach of the Year and most recently was honored as the 2014 ESPNW Big Ten Coach of the Year.
Recruiting
The Mishawaka, Ind., native was known for her prowess in game preparation, individual player development and team building. Recruiting was a key to success and Versyp and her staff has proved that they can attract the elite players to Purdue. Thirteen of Versyp's 15 signing classes were ranked in the top 25, including the 2015 group that was ranked eighth nationally by ESPNW Hoopgurlz, and first in the Big Ten Conference. Eight of her 15 recruiting classes at Purdue earned recognition inside the top-15, while five were ranked in the top-10, including the Class of 2010 which was tabbed sixth nationally. The 2018-19 class included her second top-25 ranked player in the last five seasons, and her fifth five-star recruit. Versyp and her staff brought in and developed some of the top players in Purdue history, including Fahkara Malone, Brittany Rayburn, KK Houser, Sam Ostarello, Courtney Moses, Ashley Morrissette, Ae'Rianna Harris, Dominique Oden and Karissa McLaughlin.
In The Classroom
Equally impressive to the on-court accolades are the team's academic achievements under Versyp's guidance. The Boilermakers have earned 71 Academic All-Big Ten honors during her tenure, including recent three-time honorees Hayden Hamby, Drey Mingo, Courtney Moses, Chelsea Jones, Bridget Perry, Andreona Keys, Abby Abel, Nora Kiesler and Tamara Farquhar. Plus, Brittany Rayburn became the first Boilermaker Academic All-American since 2001, when she earned second team status as a senior, while 2009 graduate Lauren Mioton was a Rhodes Scholar finalist. Hamby and Rayburn were recipients of postgraduate scholarships from the Big Ten and NCAA, respectively, and are two-of-five recent Boilermakers to go on to medical school, joining Mioton, Mingo and Jones. Most recently, Kiesler was honored as the commencement speaker in the fall of 2018, after being named a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar the previous season.
Award Winners
Versyp has guided 41 All-Big Ten selections at Purdue, including six first-team selections, and four Boilermakers have been recognized with All-America honors. Katie Gearlds was a Third Team All-America pick in 2007, while Lindsay Wisdom-Hylton received honorable mention recognition the same year and Drey Mingo was also honorable mention All-America in 2013. Purdue has also seen five members of the conference All-Freshman Team, nine Big Ten All-Defensive Team members and a pair of Big Ten Sixth Players of the Year under Versyp, in addition to four Big Ten Tournament Most Outstanding Players and 16 all-tournament team members. Most recently, Ae’Rianna Harris became the third sophomore in conference history to earn Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year honors, and the youngest Boilermaker ever, while Karissa McLaughlin was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team. Three Boilermakers have been selected in the WNBA draft during Versyp's tenure as Gearlds was picked seventh by the Seattle Storm in 2007, while Wisdom-Hylton was selected 13th by the Los Angeles Sparks and Danielle Campbell was picked 32nd by the Indiana Fever in 2009.
Postseason Success
The Boilermakers have secured an NCAA Tournament bid in nine of 15 seasons under Versyp, advancing to the Elite Eight twice and to the second round on six other occasions. In 2007, the Boilermakers earned the No. 2 seed in the Dallas Region, dispatching No. 15 seed Oral Roberts, seventh-seeded Georgia Tech and No. 3 seed Georgia before falling in the national quarterfinals. The 2009 NCAA Tournament run came as a No. 6 seed in the Oklahoma City Region, as Purdue topped 11th-seeded Charlotte, upset No. 3 seed North Carolina and moved past seventh-seeded Rutgers before suffering a six-point loss in the regional final. In addition to their Elite Eight seedings, the Boilermakers have been a No. 9 seed three times, a No. 4 seed three times and an 11-seed once in their seven other appearances. Purdue was on pace to receive an at-large bid to the 2020 NCAA Tournament, before the event's cancelation due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Purdue's four Big Ten Tournament titles under Versyp have come in impressive and dramatic fashion, garnering a 23-11 record at the event in 15 appearances. Never once entering the tournament as the top seed, the Boilermakers earned the 2007 and 2008 tournament titles, followed up with the 2012 and 2013 titles, and are one of just three teams in the conference to ever win consecutive tournament championships. Gearlds led a second-seeded Boilermaker squad to the 2007 title, while the Boilermaker secured a necessary automatic bid to the 2008 NCAA Tournament title with an outstanding postseason run, which was capped by a buzzer-beating, game-winner from Lakisha Freeman to edge Illinois in the championship. The Boilermakers took the 2012 conference tournament as a No. 4 seed, knocking off top-seeded Penn State in the semifinals before winning a 74-70, double-overtime thriller over Big Ten newcomer Nebraska in the finals. The 2013 championship run was a dominant one, as Versyp's third-seeded squad won by an average of 13.3 points per game, including a 62-47 victory over Michigan State in the finals, and Drey Mingo was named the tournament's most outstanding player. The Boilermakers' nine Big Ten Tournament titles are a conference-best in the tournament's 27-year history. Purdue has been to the Big Ten title game in 14-of-27 tournaments, including six under Versyp, and the Boilermaker head coach owns the career record for Big Ten Tournament victories with 25 wins.
Off the Court
In addition to her work with the Boilermakers, Versyp has worked hard to grow women's basketball on a national level. She's currently working with the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) on a national recruiting committee after serving as the head of the Carol Eckman Award committee in 2015 and 2016, in addition to committee spots for both the Naismith National Player of the Year and Lisa Leslie Award, honoring the nation’s top center. She also served as the head of the Big Ten Conference women's basketball coaches committee, chairing their annual meetings in 2014-15 and 2015-16. She's given numerous presentations and led workshops at the annual WBCA Convention as well, held each year in conjunction with the NCAA Final Four.
In the Community
Versyp has served the West Lafayette, Lafayette and surrounding communities in numerous capacities. As an invaluable member of several organizations, her service opportunities include the co-chair of the Lafayette Urban Ministries Hunger Hike, the Community Cancer Network Carry the Torch Walk and the Community Cancer Network Hope on the Horizon fundraiser. Versyp has also been an integral part in developing the annual Beat Cancer Pinkout Game each season to help raise funds to combat breast cancer. In addition to several other community events, Versyp helps raise more than $200,000 annually for various causes that affect the Lafayette, West Lafayette and surrounding communities.
The Return
Versyp returned to her alma mater as Purdue's eighth head coach on April 10, 2006, to build upon the excellence of Purdue women's basketball. Her first year with the Boilermakers was one for the record books as she set a Boilermaker coaching record with a mark of 31-6, shattering the previous win record for a Purdue first-year head coach. The 31 victories matched the second-highest win total in school history, and their .838 win percentage is the fifth-best for a season in the Boilermaker archives. It is one of just three 30+-win seasons in 39 years of Purdue women's basketball, matching their 2001 Final Four appearance and three shy of the 34-win, 1999 NCAA Championship season.
Before Purdue
Versyp was the head coach at Indiana prior to Purdue, where she led her team to a 19-14 season, 9-7 in the Big Ten and the quarterfinals of the postseason WNIT. The nine-game improvement was the second largest turn-around in school history for a first-year head coach. While at Indiana, Versyp guided senior Cindi Valentin to first team All-Big Ten honors and newcomer Whitney Thomas to the Big Ten All-Freshman team.
Prior to her stint with the Hoosiers, Versyp was the head coach at Maine for five seasons where she amassed a 98-51 record, including a 67-19 America East Conference record. Versyp's teams won three-straight America East regular season championships (2003, 2004, 2005) and in 2004 also won the America East Tournament title earning an NCAA Tournament berth. Versyp was twice voted America East Coach of the Year (2003 and 2005). Her teams achieved season records of 25-6 in 2002-03 and 25-7 in 2003-04, which were the first back-to-back 25-win campaigns in school history.
Under Versyp's guidance, Maine student-athletes earned America East, Rookie and Defensive Player of the Year designations and garnered 15 all-conference honors in her five years with the Black Bears. Versyp coached 2003 and 2004 America East Player of the Year, Heather Ernest, who went on to play professionally overseas. While at Maine, Versyp's team ranked 13th in the Women's Basketball Coaches Association National Team Academic Honor Roll.
After graduating from Purdue, Versyp became a head coach in the high school ranks at Lawrence North High School in Indianapolis from 1989-93. There she took a 0-18 team to a sectional runner-up finish in just two seasons. She also served as the head coach at Benton Central High School in Oxford, Ind., from 1993 to 1996.
Versyp entered the collegiate ranks in 1996-97, when she joined Bud Childers' staff at the University of Louisville. After going 20-9, sharing the Conference USA regular-season title and an earning NCAA berth, Childers left for James Madison University. Versyp joined him in Harrisonburg, Va., serving as his top assistant and recruiting coordinator. She was there for three seasons and in 1999 helped ink a recruiting class ranked nationally in the top 25.
As a Player
Versyp's Indiana roots run deep. She was named Indiana Miss Basketball in 1984 becoming the first of nine Miss Basketball's to play for the Boilermakers, a list which most-recently includes Moses, Rayburn and Gearlds.
As a player Versyp was a fixture in the Purdue starting lineup beginning her freshman year and is one of only 10 four-year starters in Purdue women's basketball history. She led the team in scoring three-straight seasons and still owns spots on the career record lists for scoring, field goals, free throw shooting, assists, steals and minutes played. She sits 13th on the Boilermakers' career scoring list with 1,565 points, and ranks 10th all-time with 418 career assists and 14th with 194 career steals. Her 653 career field goals rank ninth in school history, while 79.6 career free throw shooting percentage is tied for ninth all-time at Purdue. Her 12 assists against San Diego State in 1987 remain tied for fourth-most on Purdue's single-game record list, while her 87 career double-figure scoring games remains ninth all-time for the Boilermakers. Versyp was a three-time Academic All-Big Ten Team member and Second Team Academic All-American as a senior.
| Year | School | Record | Pct. | Conf. Record | Pct. | |
| 2000-01 | Maine | 12-16 | .429 | 9-9 (T-4th) | .500 | |
| 2001-02 | Maine | 16-12 | .571 | 9-7 (T-4th) | .563 | |
| 2002-03 | Maine | 25-6 | .806 | 16-0 (1st) | 1.000 | |
| 2003-04 | Maine | 25-7 | .781 | 17-1 (1st) | .944 | |
| 2004-05 | Maine | 20-10 | .667 | 16-2 (1st) | .889 | |
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| Totals at Maine | 98-51 | .658 | 67-19 | .779 | ||
| 2005-06 | Indiana | 19-14 | .576 | 9-7 (6th) | .563 | |
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| 2006-07 | Purdue | 31-6 | .838 | 14-2 (2nd) | .875 | |
| 2007-08 | Purdue | 19-15 | .559 | 11-7 (T-3rd) | .611 | |
| 2008-09 | Purdue | 25-11 | .694 | 13-5 (T-2nd) | .722 | |
| 2009-10 | Purdue | 15-17 | .469 | 9-9 (5th) | .500 | |
| 2010-11 | Purdue | 21-12 | .636 | 9-7 (7th) | .563 | |
| 2011-12 | Purdue | 25-9 | .735 | 11-5 (T-2nd) | .688 | |
| 2012-13 | Purdue | 25-9 | .735 | 10-6 (T-3rd) | .625 | |
| 2013-14 | Purdue | 22-9 | .710 | 11-5 (T-4th) | .686 | |
| 2014-15 | Purdue | 11-20 | .355 | 3-15 (T-13th) | .167 | |
| 2015-16 | Purdue | 20-12 | .625 | 10-8 (6th) | .556 | |
| 2016-17 | Purdue | 23-13 | .639 | 10-6 (T4th) | .625 | |
| 2017-18 | Purdue | 20-14 | .588 | 9-7 (T7th) | .563 | |
| 2018-19 | Purdue | 19-15 | .559 | 8-10 (T10th) | .444 | |
| 2019-20 | Purdue | 18-14 | .563 | 8-10 (9th) | .444 | |
| 2020-21 | Purdue | 7-16 | .304 | 4-14 (12th) | .222 | |
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| Totals at Purdue | 15 years | 301-194 | .608 | 140-116 | .547 | |
| Overall | 21 years | 418-257 | .619 | 149-123 | .558 | |
Yearly Capsules
Playing through the global COVID-19 pandemic, the Boilermakers navigated their way through unending adversity. Purdue went 7-16 on the year and 4-14 in the Big Ten Conference, but perhaps most impressive, the Boilermakers never had a game canceled due to protocol issues within the program. The three contests that were canceled resulted from tests within the opposing programs. On the court, the Boilermakers had to adjust to several debilitating injuries to All-Big Ten guard Karissa McLaughlin and sophomore Roxane Makolo, as well as the graduation of key performers Dominique Oden and Ae'Rianna Harris, losing more than 60% of its total scoring from the previous season. The campaign paved the way for freshmen Madison Layden and Ra Shaya Kyle to see key minutes on the court, with Layden finishing the year as one-of-seven freshmen nationally with 8.5 points, 3.0 assists and 2.0 steals per game. Transfers Brooke Moore and Rokia Doumbia made their marks during their first campaigns in West Lafayette, finishing with 12.1 and 3.7 points per game, respectively. Layden garnered All-Big Ten Freshman Team honors, while Kayana Traylor received Second Team/Honorable Mention All-Big Ten status and Fatou Diagne was an honorable mention selection by the conference.
Purdue was poised to reach the NCAA Tournament for the 27th in program history and the 10th time in the Versyp era when the event was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Led by All-Big Ten picks Ae’Rianna Harris, Karissa McLaughlin and Dominique Oden, the Boilermakers battled through injuries to set up a postseason run. Versyp notched her 400th career win with a 77-64 decision against Kent State at Mackey Arena. Per usual, Purdue’s defense ranked among the best in the Big Ten – third in blocked shots, fourth in fewest fouls, sixth in scoring defense and sixth in 3-point defense. The Boilermakers held opponents below their season scoring average 26 times. Harris closed her career with more than 30 records, as well as becoming the first player in program history to amass 1,500 points, 1,000 rebounds and 300 blocks and the Purdue record for career blocks for men and women. Oden climbed up to seventh in program history in points scored and set the record for career starts and minutes played. The duo marked the first senior class with a pair of 1,500-point scorers since 2001. McLaughlin joined the 1,000-point scorers as its 35th member. As the Boilermakers assisted on 62% of their made field goals, Kayana Traylor became the sixth player in program history to amass 100 assists as a freshman and sophomore. Looking to the future, Versyp added the 19th-ranked recruiting class in the nation with Indiana All-Stars Ra Shaya Kyle and Madison Layden.
The Boilermakers hit a number of outstanding milestones and broke records along the way in 2018-19. Purdue became just the third Big Ten school to win 400 conference games, hitting the mark with a 72-50 win over Illinois on Feb. 7. Juniors Dominique Oden and Ae’Rianna Harris became just the second pair of juniors on program history to hit the 1,000-career point mark in the same season, led by Oden who is already 18th all-time at Purdue with 1,358 points. Harris broke the Boilermakers’ career blocked shots record, turning away 104 in 2018-19, good for second in the NCAA, while her 3.06 blocks per game ranked fourth in the country. She’s blocked 284 shots over the last three seasons, already ranking eighth in Big Ten Conference history. Karissa McLaughlin led the team in scoring at 15.0 points per game, became the third Boilermaker sophomore to ever score 500 points and tied Purdue’s season 3-point record, draining 88 triples to match Katie Gearlds’ total from 2006-07.
The Boilermakers endured a season of highs and lows in 2017-18, posting several outstanding victories and some of the top individual performances in program history. Purdue posted its 25th 20-win season under Versyp, who tied the Boilermakers’ Big Ten Conference win record with her 120th at Purdue. The Boilermakers had four wins against the AP Top 25, their most since 2006-07, including a 75-65, top-10 victory at Maryland and an 81-79 overtime win at No. 13 Michigan. Purdue narrowly missed out on the NCAA Tournament, but rallied to win a pair of games in the WNIT and advance to the Round of 16. Despite a variety of injuries and illnesses in the Purdue lineup, the Boilermakers managed to break eight individual class records and senior Andreona Keys wrapped up one of the most impressive individual careers in program history.
The Boilermakers turned in another outstanding season in 2016-17, and one of the most memorable postseasons in recent history. The Boilermakers finished 23-13 on the year, marking their 24th 20-win season, and their 10-6 Big Ten record was good for a tie for fourth in the final conference standings. As the No. 5 seed, Purdue made an incredible run to the Big Ten Tournament championship game with wins over Illinois, archrival Indiana and No. 9 Ohio State, and garnered enough attention to nab its 26th NCAA Tournament bid. The ninth-seeded Boilermakers advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, earning a first-round win over No. 8 seed Green Bay, and came up just shy of one of the biggest upsets in the Big Dance, falling 88-82 in overtime at second-ranked and top-seeded Notre Dame. Seniors Ashley Morrissette and Bridget Perry became the 10th class in program history with multiple 1,000-point scorers, as Morrissette finished 16th all-time at Purdue with 1,416 points. Morrissette received First Team All-Big Ten and Big Ten All-Defensive Team recognition, becoming the third player at Purdue to earn both in the same season. Boilermaker freshmen Dominique Oden and Ae'Rianna Harris posted two of the best rookie seasons in program history, setting freshman marks for 3-pointers and blocked shots, respectively. Oden scored the third-most points by a freshman all-time at Purdue, while Harris grabbed the fifth-most rebounds all-time by a Boilermaker rookie.
Versyp led the second-biggest turnaround in program history in 2015-16, posting a 20-12 overall mark, finishing 10-8 in the Big Ten Conference and returning to the NCAA Tournament for the eighth time in her 10 years on the Boilermaker sidelines. This included a 12-4 mark in the friendly confines of Mackey Arena, and a monumental win over archrival Indiana on Jan. 10, 2016, as Versyp surpassed Lin Dunn for the most coaching wins all-time with the Old Gold and Black. The Boilermakers finished second at the 2015 Gulf Coast Showcase, posting wins over LSU and Louisville, and wound up 10-2 in the non-conference slate. A red-hot, 5-0 conference start guided the squad to a sixth place Big Ten finish, jumping seven spots from the previous season, and the Boilermakers went 1-1 at the Big Ten Tournament, taking Michigan State all the way to the wire at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Versyp helped add a few more All-Big Ten awards to the trophy case as April Wilson (Second Team) and Ashley Morrissette (Honorable Mention) were both honored, while Wilson took home All-Defensive Team honors as well.
The Boilermakers stumbled in 2014-15, taking a young squad into one of the nation's toughest schedules (ranked as high as No. 1 during the year, finished 26th) and fighting some of the top teams in the country. Purdue finished 11-20 on the year, and 3-15 in the Big Ten, going to overtime a school-record five times and playing 11 NCAA Tournament teams. The Boilermakers did continue one of the NCAA's finest attendance legacies, finishing ninth in the country with over 100,000 total attendance to mark 20 straight years in the top-10 in the nation. They also posted their lowest turnover average since 1996-97, limiting themselves to just 15.9 per game. Graduating senior Whitney Bays made it 22 straight years with at least one Boilermaker on the All-Big Ten teams, earning second-team honors from the media and honorable mention from the coaches.
The 2013-14 campaign marked the fourth straight 20+-win season under Versyp and her sixth in eight seasons at the helm of the program. The Boilermakers finished 22-9 overall and 11-5 in conference play, finishing fourth in the Big Ten regular season standings and earning a No. 4 seed and an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. Versyp stacked the deck against her squad, putting together the nation's sixth-toughest strength of schedule and seven of their 12 non-conference games away from home. The senior-leadership of Moses, Houser and Dee Dee Williams came through as they went 10-2 in non-conference play and finished the season ranked ninth in the ratings percentage index. Moses was named First Team All-Big Ten, earning unanimous honors from the coaches, while Houser was a second team pick by the coaches and media, Whitney Bays received Second Team All-Big Ten from the media and honorable mention from the coaches and April Wilson was honorable mention on both sides. Bays was also named the Big Ten Sixth Player of the Year, the Boilermakers' first since 2009. In addition to her all-conference honors, Moses earned a spot on the Naismith Trophy Award Preseason Watch List and became the third player under Versyp to participate in the State Farm College Slam Dunk/3-Point Championship at the men's Final Four.
The 2012-13 Boilermakers became the third team in school history to put up back-to-back Big Ten Tournament Championships, rolling through the conference tournament to earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Championships and finish the season at 25-9 for the second straight year. Seniors Drey Mingo and Sam Ostarello led a powerful inside game that earned them a national ranking as high as 12th in the AP poll during the season and led to a No. 4 seed in the national tournament. Mingo was named honorable mention All-America, Big Ten Tournament Most Outstanding Player, Third Team All-Big Ten and earned a spot on the inaugural WBCA/Allstate Good Works Team. Ostarello was a second team all-conference pick and set the single-season rebounding record at Purdue with 341 boards on the year. She finished second all-time at Purdue with 901 rebounds and became the first player to average double-digit rebounds for the Boilermakers since 1978. Moses was also a third team all-conference player, while Houser earned honorable mention honors and freshman Taylor Manuel was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman team.
Purdue returned to its championship ways in 2011-12, with the third Big Ten Tournament championship in Versyp's six years and a conference-best eighth title overall. The Boilermakers' veteran squad tied for second in the Big Ten in the regular season and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament to finish with a 25-9 mark. Three Boilermakers earned Big Ten postseason honors with Rayburn a second team selection and KK Houser and Sam Ostarello honorable mention All-Big Ten. Rayburn also picked up Big Ten Tournament Most Outstanding Player honors, was named to the Naismith Player of the Year midseason 32 list and was selected to participate in the State Farm Women's 3-point Championship at the men's Final Four.
In 2010-11, Versyp guided a team without any seniors to a 21-12 record and the second round of the NCAA Tournament. An extremely promising season, was one filled with unprecedented adversity. First, starting point guard, KK Houser suffered an ACL injury four minutes into the first regular-season game. Then, less than 48 hours after Purdue captured its second Preseason WNIT championship under Versyp, starting forward Drey Mingo was hospitalized with a life-threatening case of bacterial meningitis. Mingo would rebound from her illness and was a key along with Brittany Rayburn and Courtney Moses, in Purdue's late season success. Along the way, Versyp claimed her 100th victory at Purdue with a 65-64 win over Michigan on Jan. 6.
The 2009-10 season was a rebuilding one for the Boilermakers. Versyp was without five seniors who had graduated in the spring of 2009. Three were starters and two - Danielle Campbell and Lindsay Wisdom-Hylton - were WNBA draft picks. Projected starter Chantel Poston was lost for the year with an Achilles tendon injury and post players Alex Guyton and Ashley Wilson were limited the entire season due to stress fractures. Versyp did earn her 200th career victory with a 53-42 win over Northwestern on Jan. 10 and led Purdue to back-to-back victories over ranked opponents with a 63-61 decision against No. 4 Ohio State and an 80-76 overtime win at No. 23 Penn State. With a fifth-place finish in the Big Ten regular season Purdue earned a first-round bye for the 16th-consecutive year.
In 2008-09, Purdue finished with a 25-11 record after defeating Charlotte, No. 11 North Carolina and Rutgers before falling 74-68 to No. 4 Oklahoma in the Elite Eight. Versyp guided the Boilermakers to a second-place finish in the Big Ten regular season despite losing point guard FahKara Malone to injury for half of conference play. On Jan. 5 in the first game without Malone, Versyp orchestrated a 66-55 upset over No. 4 Texas in Mackey Arena. Purdue returned to the title game of the Big Ten Tournament but failed in its quest of a third-consecutive championship by the slimmest of margins. The Boilermakers missed a shot at the buzzer to give Ohio State a 67-66 victory.
Versyp and the Boilermakers had a difficult challenge before the start of the 2007-08 season. The Boilermakers lost four starters, two to graduation and two to injury and faced a non-conference schedule that was rated the toughest in the country. Versyp worked her magic and pulled off what was perhaps the finest coaching performance of her career. The Boilermakers scratched their way to a third place finish in the Big Ten regular season and capped that off with a second-consecutive Big Ten Tournament championship and a 15th-straight NCAA Tournament appearance. The Boilermakers were not satisfied with just playing an NCAA Tournament game in Mackey Arena though. Versyp led the women to a 66-59 upset over 17th-ranked Utah and advanced to the second round for the 14th time in 15 years. All this was accomplished after losing 73 percent of the offense, 67 percent of the rebounding and 53 percent of the assists from a team that went 31-6 a season ago. Purdue's 2008 NCAA Tournament win against the Utes was Versyp's 50th Purdue career victory and she earned her 75th school win against Rutgers in the 2009 NCAA Tournament. Versyp achieved another milestone in 2007-08 when she picked up her 150th win as a collegiate head coach with a 69-53 victory over Butler on Nov. 17, 2007.
In her first year as head coach at Purdue, Versyp led the Boilermakers to a 31-6 record that included a second-place finish in the 2006-07 Big Ten regular season, a Big Ten Tournament title and an appearance in the NCAA Elite Eight. Versyp was named the 2007 WBCA Region VI Coach of the Year for her achievements that season. With her 24th win on Feb. 22 against Iowa, Versyp became Purdue's winningest first year head coach. The 24 wins passed Carolyn Peck (23-10) and Kristy Curry (23-8) for the most victories by a first-year coach. Versyp's win percentage in 2006-07 of 83.8 percent (31-6) is the fifth-best in a season at Purdue and tops for a first-year coach. The 31 wins equals the second-most in school history and marks only the third time the Boilermakers have achieved a 30-plus win season. Gearlds was named a Third Team AP All-American, Purdue's first since 2004, in addition to earning First Team All-Big Ten and Big Ten Tournament Most Outstanding Player honors. She was joined on the all-conference first team by Wisdom-Hylton and senior teammate Erin Lawless was named honorable mention All-Big Ten. Gearlds was invited to the State Farm College Slam Dunk/3-Point Championship at the men's Final Four, where she not only won the women's championship, but defeated the men's champion as well for the collegiate three-point title.