On Wednesday morning, Oklahoma Sooners women’s basketball head coach Sherri Coale officially announced her retirement after 25 seasons at OU.

Among the accomplishments and accolades Coale has garnered over her largely successful reign at Oklahoma include an induction into Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, four Big 12 Coach of the Year awards, 10 total Big 12 titles (six regular season, four tournament), 20 postseason runs and three Final Four appearances. She’s wrapping up her coaching resume with an overall lifetime win/loss mark of 513-294 (.636) and a 253-167 (.601) record in conference play.

Before stepping into her role as the OU women’s head b-ball coach, Coale, a Healdton, Oklahoma native, first cut her teeth at the high school level with the girls’ teams at Edmond Memorial and Norman High.

The official search for the Sooners’ next head coach now begins for AD Joe Castiglione and company. For the last handful of years, the women’s college basketball program has been in a bit of a decline, so the next hire will undoubtedly be someone who expresses a plan for restoring this group to its former glory — a glory that Sherri Coale originally built from the ground up.

Now onto today’s Hot Links! Baseball topples the top-ranked team, T-Will gets PAID, and more!

OU Links

• The Oklahoma baseball team (9-7) seems to be finding its stride after a major 8-5 road win over No. 1 ranked Arkansas. Redshirt senior pitcher Jason Ruffcorn came up clutch in the final inning to seal the deal for the Sooners.

• Brendan Radley-Hiles is officially joining the Washington Huskies as a graduate transfer. UW head coach Jimmy Lake is one of the brightest defensive minds in the game today, so it’ll be interesting to see how he utilizes ‘Bookie’ in his scheme. Good luck, 44!

• Former Sooner OT Trent Williams has re-signed with the San Francisco 49ers on a six-year, $138 million contract. This deal officially makes Williams the highest paid offensive lineman in NFL history! Boomer!
• On Tuesday, senior guard Austin Reaves was earned an honorable mention on this year’s AP All-American listings.
• The top-ranked OU men’s golf team finished tied for second this week at the George Hannon Collegiate.

Around the Sports World

• Thanks to a 50-point performance from Damian Lillard, the Portland Trail Blazers rallied from a 17-point deficit in the fourth quarter to take down the New Orleans Pelicans, 125-124.

• The Iowa State Cyclones have apparently found their next head coach. Days after parting ways with Steve Prohm, ISU is reportedly set to hire UNVL’s TJ Otzelberger.
• Former Cincinnati Bengals WR A.J. Green is reportedly finalizing a one-year, $8 million deal with the Arizona Cardinals.

• The New England Patriots are welcoming back center Ted Karras on a one-year, $4 million contract after the former Pat spent the 2020 season with the Miami Dolphins.
• The Tennessee Volunteers have reportedly paused all football activities due to a recent spike in COVID-19 cases within the program. All coaches and players will remain away from the team facilities until Monday at the earliest.

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