USCB Hires Men’s and Women’s Basketball Head Coaches
USCB has hired its founding men's and women's basketball head coaches, both of whom
have achieved great success in their careers. Purdue legend Sharon Versyp is the University’s
new Women’s Basketball Head Coach and Ron Fudala is the new Men’s Basketball Head
Coach. USCB’s inaugural basketball teams will begin competing in the 2023-24 season
and will play a full Peach Belt Conference schedule.
Ron Fudala is USCB’s new Men’s Basketball Head Coach.Fudala comes to USCB from Indiana University Pennsylvania, an NCAA Division II school, where he has been Associate Head Coach for the Crimson Hawks for the last four seasons.
"I'd like to thank Chancellor Al M. Panu, Athletic Director Quin Monahan, the search committee, and the entire Sand Shark family for this exceptional opportunity to be the first men's basketball leader at this student-centered and community-engaged university," Fudala said.
Fudala has led some of the most successful seasons in IUP history, helping the Crimson Hawks to 91 victories, three PSAC tournament and regular season division crowns, three straight No. 1 seeds for the NCAA Atlantic Region Championship, and a trip to the 2022 Division II Elite Eight and the national semifinals.
Verspy is coming out of retirement (she retired from Purdue in 2021) to lead USCB’s new women’s team. She is Purdue's all-time winningest head coach and led the Boilermakers to four Big Ten Tournament championships and two NCAA Tournament Elite Eight appearances in 15 years.
"I am extremely honored to lead the first women's basketball program and to build it on a solid foundation at USCB," said Versyp. "Our vision, coupled with positive energy and perseverance, is certain to produce leaders both on the court and in the classroom, serving as ambassadors of the university and community."
USCB was provisionally accepted into NCAA Division II in July 2022 and is upgrading its sports facilities for the new basketball program.