Shereka Wright is in her third season on West End in 2020-21 after spending five years on staff at Alabama. She serves as associate head coach and recruiting coordinator for the Commodores.
Following her first full year in Nashville, Wright helped recruit a pair of ESPNW top 100 players and seven freshmen from six different states in the Class of 2019. Last season, she tutored Koi Love to All-SEC freshman team accolades as Love led the Commodores in scoring and was the first player in school history to earn back-to-back SEC Freshman of the Week honors.
In her first season, Wright worked with the Vanderbilt forwards and guided center Mariella Fasoula to All-SEC second team honors.
Prior to Vanderbilt, Wright was a critical part of Alabama’s resurgence and helped the Crimson Tide to back-to-back 20-win seasons, which included the quarterfinals of the 2018 WNIT. Under Wright’s tutelage, Alabama forward Ashley Williams finished her career ranked No. 9 in scoring (1,450) and No. 5 in rebounding (859) and notched 20 career double-doubles, six of which came in her last nine games.
Additionally, under Wright’s direction, SEC All-Freshman selection Ashley Knight set the Alabama single-season record and led the league in blocks with 90. She was the first student-athlete in program history to finish as the SEC’s leader in blocks.
Wright also was instrumental in constructing a signing class that ranked in the top 25 nationally, featuring both the Alabama and Mississippi high school players of the year.
Wright began her coaching career at Texas Tech and was responsible for the perimeter players, recruiting, scouting, academics and equipment. She spent seven seasons in Lubbock with head coach Kristy Curry, helping the Lady Raiders advance to the postseason five times and win 20 or more games in her final three seasons at Tech.
Prior to coaching, she spent two seasons in the WNBA with the Phoenix Mercury, but missed all of the 2006 season after suffering a torn Achilles tendon during training camp.
Wright was selected as the 13th overall pick in the 2004 WNBA Draft by the Detroit Shock after a stellar collegiate playing career under Kristy Curry at Purdue. She was the third player in program history to be named All-Big Ten first team on three occasions and was also honorable mention Kodak All-America as well as a finalist for the Wade Trophy, Naismith Award and Wooden Award. As a freshman in 2001, Wright was named to the NCAA Final Four All-Tournament Team.
Throughout her four-year career, the Boilermakers appeared in four NCAA tournaments, advancing to the national championship game in 2001, the Elite Eight in 2003 and the Sweet 16 in 2004, and won two Big Ten regular season titles (2001, 2002) and a pair of Big Ten Tournament crowns (2003, 2004).
Wright, who graduated from Purdue in 2004 with a degree in health and fitness, was inducted into the Purdue Athletics Hall of Fame in 2020.
Wright and her daughter, Lennox, reside in Brentwood, Tennessee.
The Wright File
• Associate Head Coach and Recruiting Coordinator, Vanderbilt (2018-present)
• Assistant Coach, Alabama (2013-18)
• Assistant Coach, Texas Tech (2006-13)
• Picked 13th overall in the 2004 WNBA Draft (Detroit Shock)
• 2003-04 honorable mention Kodak All-America
• 2001 NCAA Final Four All-Tournament team
• Third player in Purdue history to be named All-Big Ten first team on three occasions
• Tw0-time Big Ten regular season (2001, 2002) and tournament (2003, 2004) champion