The University of Vermont announced Wednesday, June 11, that it has named Sharon Dawley head coach of the Catamount women’s basketball program. Dawley becomes the sixth head coach at Vermont since 1979.
Dawley spent the last 10 years as a member of the women’s basketball staff at Dartmouth College. She served as an assistant coach from 1993-1997 and was promoted to associate head women’s basketball coach under head coach Chris Wielgus in July of 1997.
“We are thrilled to have Sharon join our staff. She is a gifted educator and coach who will provide the program with great leadership in the coming years,” said incoming Director of Athletics Bob Corran.
“I am very excited about joining the UVM family and the Burlington community. The Vermont women's basketball program has a great tradition. In many respects UVM has helped set the standard for women's basketball in New England and the East. I want to continue that tradition of excellence and I want to help the program move forward,” said Dawley.
During Dawley’s decade-long stint on the Dartmouth sideline, the Big Green won four Ivy League Championships and advanced to the NCAA Tournament three times, including back-to-back appearances in 1999 and 2000.
Prior to her arrival at Dartmouth, Dawley served as head women’s basketball coach at Tufts University for nine seasons. She compiled a record of 154-65 (.703) and still owns the record for most wins and best winning percentage in the program’s history. She led the Jumbos to a Northeast Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championship in just her third season (1986-87). Tufts reached the NIAC title game in her first five years. The Jumbos also reached the ECAC Championship semifinals in three of Dawley’s final four seasons, the first postseason appearances in the program’s history.
A native of Revere, Mass., Dawley earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in business from St. Anselm College in 1983. She was a four-year member of the women’s basketball team. During her senior season the Hawks posted a record of 22-6 overall, earned a #15 national ranking and won the ECAC Division II Championship.
Dawley replaces Keith Cieplicki, who resigned after six seasons to accept the head coaching position at Syracuse University.