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In two seasons under head coach Felisha Legette-Jack, the Orange have quickly risen to top-25 status and earned back-to-back 20-plus win seasons. The trajectory within in the Syracuse program is buzzing and ahead of the 2024-25 season, there will be new roles within Legette-Jack's staff, announced Monday afternoon.
"Such exciting times here at Syracuse and for our women's basketball team," Legette-Jack said. "We are looking forward to sharing so many new faces and new roles for our coaching staff."
The first offseason move for the staff is the departure of assistant coach Sue Ludwig, who is retiring from coaching after 30-plus years as a high school and college coach.
"Firstly, we would like to share that Sue will be stepping away from coaching here at Syracuse as she has decided to officially retire," Legette-Jack said. "Although we will miss Coach Sue on the court and in the office on a day-to-day basis, we will put her to work by having her help on the outskirts."
Ludwig was Legette-Jack's first hire when she was named Syracuse's head coach in March 2022. Over the last two seasons, she worked primarily with the guards, scouted opponents and helped tremendously with alumni relations.
"Sue and I have been friends for 40 years," Legette-Jack added about her former teammate. "To have these two seasons of working here at our Alma Mater has been magical. No one can ever understand how much this journey with Sue has meant to both of us. I can't wait to see our next chapter."
With Ludwig's departure leaving a vacancy on staff, Legette-Jack has added veteran college coach Ty Evans as an assistant coach. Evans comes to Syracuse after spending the previous four seasons as the head coach at Tennessee State University in Nashville, Tenn.
"We have hired another amazing coach, Ty Evans, who comes to us with lots of coaching experience," Legette-Jack said. "Ty was recently the head coach at TSU and was previously the associate head coach at Alabama and Auburn and an assistant coach at Georgetown and Saint Louis as well. Coach Evans will bring detail, passion, defensive aggression, and toughness to our program."
Evans is a 1994 graduate of Wisconsin-Whitewater where he was a two-time All-American, the 1994 WSUC Player of the Year and helped the Warhawk's to three-straight NCAA Tournaments from 1992-94.
"I've always admired her [Legette-Jack] from a far," Evans said. "Coach Jack is one of the most enthusiastic people I have ever met. She is one of the most genuine individuals I've ever met. For me, it wasn't even a matter of 'if' it was a matter of 'when', if she offered, I was accepting," Evans said.
Evans began his coaching career after playing professionally in Norway and Taiwan at Saint Louis in 2001. After Saint Louis, Evans was an assistant coach at Georgetown from 2005-07 before taking an assistant coach position at the University of Alabama in 2007. Evans rose to associate head coach for the Crimson Tide in 2010 where he helped Alabama to its first winning season and first postseason appearance in nearly a decade.
"I just love being around people who are like minded," Evans added. "What I mean by that is people who are genuine, who are authentic, who are obsessed with basketball, and who love helping people. Coach Jack embodies all of that. All I want to do is add value. She's done a phenomenal job of putting together a staff that exemplifies what she believes in. I am looking forward to being part of a team where I can add value to a program that is growing and that's what we have at Syracuse. I am just excited to get going."
In 2012 Evans was named an assistant coach at Auburn and took on recruiting coordinator duties in 2014. He was elevated to associate head coach in 2012, a title which he held until being named head coach at Tennessee State in 2020.
While at Tennessee State, he became the first TSU coach to lead the program to qualify for three consecutive OVC Tournaments since 2013-15. He coached seven TSU players to All-OVC honors over his final three seasons, the most in program history since 1997-99.
"I've watched Coach Evans for many years, and I know we are very fortunate to have him commit to our women's basketball program," Legette-Jack added.
Kristen Sharkey, who has been a member of Coach Jack's staff for the past decade at Syracuse and Buffalo, has been promoted to associate head coach.
"We have elevated Coach Sharkey to be our associate head coach," announced Legette-Jack. "Coach Sharkey is now entering her 10th season with me. We have won championships, raised doctors, mothers, Olympians, and character phenomenal women together. Coach Sharkey is a loyal colleague that understands what our goals are for our women's basketball program. She has earned the right to be elevated."
Sharkey came to Syracuse in 2022 with her former University at Buffalo head coach. In two seasons, she has helped the Orange to back-to-back postseason appearances, including an NCAA Tournament At-Large berth in 2024.
"I am incredibly honored and excited to step into this role under Coach Jack," Sharkey said. "Her belief in me as a coach and person is something I am forever grateful for. Coach Jack's leadership and ability to show up every day at the highest level and bring people to that level with her is why I am who I am. I look forward to contributing to our team's success and continuing to build on our legacy of excellence."
Sharkey helped Syracuse rise to one of the top programs in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) this past season. After being picked to finish ninth, she helped the Orange to a 13-5 league record, tied for second best, and matched program records in conference wins, ACC road wins and four top-15 regular-season wins.
"We came to Syracuse to transform lives through the game of basketball and to win championships along the way," Sharkey added. "Our staff is locked in for our ladies' dreams and we will fight on every day to take them higher. It is with a heart full of gratitude and love for Coach Jack and this team that I accept this new role with responsibility."
Sharkey's new role will move her away from her recruiting duties and focus her more on development, marketing, and day-to-day operations of the program. Assistant coach Khyreed Carter will become Syracuse's lead recruiter.
"Lastly, we have shifted Coach KC into a recruiting role," Legette-Jack said. "We know the most important role for sport is recruiting and Coach KC will organize us and lead us in this area."
Carter was with Legette-Jack at Buffalo for seven seasons before making the move to Syracuse in 2022. He's worked primarily with Syracuse's guards and helped mentor and train the NCAA third-most leading scorer Dyaisha Fair for the last five seasons at Buffalo and SU.
"Coach KC is entering his ninth year on our staff, and he has touched every base," Legette-Jack added. "He began as director of basketball operations at Buffalo and rose to third assistant, second assistant and now will be our lead recruiter. KC is a loyal, hardworking guard coach that has elevated players to top-5 scoring for the last few years."
The Syracuse women's basketball team is a combined 44-21 the last two seasons and returns eight players from last season while adding five newcomers to the squad for the upcoming 2024-25 season.
