Sharpe to head Wallace State Women’s Basketball

HANCEVILLE, Ala. — Wallace State Community College President Vicki Karolewics announced the appointment of Allen Sharpe as head coach for women’s basketball. With the departure of Jessica McBrayer to head up women’s basketball at Cullman High School, Sharpe will now assume the head coaching role for both Wallace State’s men’s and women’s teams.

“I am pleased to appoint Coach Allen Sharpe into this new expanded role as head of Wallace State basketball and have every confidence with his vision for excellence, record of success, and outstanding reputation, he will provide a seamless transition for our women’s team,” said Dr. Karolewics.  “He is a coach who sets high standards for his players on and off the court and in the classroom, and we are excited about where he can take our teams with this increased role.”

Sharpe will begin the transition immediately and plans to waste no time preparing for the upcoming women’s season. He will be meeting with the current team right away and pick up with recruiting where Coach McBrayer leaves off. McBrayer will be at Wallace State through May to assist with a smooth transition.

“Coach McBrayer has been a great leader for our women’s team, even stepping in as interim men’s coach for a time. While we hate to see her go, we are excited she will have the opportunity to coach at one of our area high schools, and especially that she will get to shape her daughter’s basketball career as head coach there,” said Dr. Karolewics.

In 21 years of coaching, Sharpe has compiled a record of 444-195. Ten of those seasons have now been with Wallace State, where his record is 196-57. Sharpe has previously led the Lions to their only undefeated season and a No. 1 NJCAA poll ranking.

Sharpe said he is looking forward to this new challenge, and the next chapter in his career. 

“You never know what direction life might take. This is a great opportunity that wasn’t planned but it is an exciting one that I am looking forward to. I have a lot of respect for Dr. Karolewics for placing her trust in me, again.”

Both men’s and women’s teams have always been close at Wallace State. They practice in the same facility, and they travel together. “I’m already there when practices are going on, there at the games,” Sharpe said. 

“Coaching women is a little different, and that’s exciting,” he said. “They work hard, but they are sometimes better at checking their egos at the door, being loyal to each other on the court, and getting on board with a team concept.”

He has high expectations for continuing the women’s success. The Lady Lions have earned six ACCC Championships and made six national tournament appearances.

Wallace State Basketball Coach Allen Sharpe will coach both the men's and women's teams. 

Sharpe began his coaching career as assistant coach at Piedmont College in Georgia. Prior to his first stint at Wallace State from 2005-2010, he was head coach at Truett-McConnell College, also in Georgia, where he went 70-25 in three years. Before his return to Wallace State in 2020, Sharpe served as head coach at the University of Arkansas-Monticello and the University of West Alabama, where his winning records continued.

Sharpe played collegiate basketball at Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tenn., where he scored 1,431 career points under Coach Don Meyer, the winningest coach in the nation during the 90s.

He earned his Bachelor of Science from Lipscomb in 2000 and a Master of Arts from Piedmont College in 2002.

Sharpe and his wife, Susan, who also played basketball at Lipscomb, are parents to Garrison, Ally and Anderson.