THE GORDON FILE

Personal Information

Full Name: Bridgette Gordon
Birthday: April 27, 1967
Hometown: DeLand, Fla.
High School: DeLand H.S.
Education: Bachelor’s in political science, Univ. of Tennessee, 1989

Coaching Experience

Tennessee Lady Vols

Assistant Coach (2017-present)
Second season with the Lady Vols
One-year record: 25-8

Wichita State

Associate Head Coach (2016-17)
Assistant Coach/Recruiting Coordinator (2012-16)
Assistant Coach (2010-12)
Seven-year record: 145-88

Georgia State

Assistant Coach/Recruiting Coordinator (2007-10)
Three-year record: 35-55

WNBA

Regional Scout (2006-07)

Stetson

Assistant Coach/Recruiting Coordinator (2004-06)
Assistant Coach (2001-04)
Five-year record: 59-85

Collegiate Playing Experience

Tennessee (1985-89)
Led Lady Vols to their first two NCAA National Championships (1987 & 1989)
Member of first senior class to appear in NCAA Final Four all four years
Two-time Kodak and Naismith All-American and four-time All-SEC First Team selection
Named 1989 NCAA Final Four MVP, SEC Female Athlete of the Year and SEC Player of the Year
1988 U.S. Olympic Gold Medalist

Women’s Basketball Hall of Famer Bridgette Gordon, who helped Tennessee capture the first two of its eight NCAA titles in the sport as a student-athlete, returned to her alma mater and joined Holly Warlick's staff as an assistant coach on July 20, 2017.

Gordon, a 1988 U.S. Olympic gold medalist with 15 years of experience in the coaching ranks and another as a WNBA scout, came to Rocky Top from Wichita State. She spent seven seasons there, including from 2012-16 as the recruiting coordinator. Gordon, who served as associate head coach in 2016-17, helped WSU land the highest-ranked recruiting class in program history when Blue Star Basketball rated the 2012-13 signing group at No. 47 in the nation.

In addition to her work as a gifted recruiter, Gordon helped the Shockers make their first three appearances ever in the NCAA Tournament while capturing the program’s first three regular- and post-season conference championships. The Shockers advanced to postseason play five times during her stint in Wichita.

Gordon’s influence helped establish several Wichita State student-athletes as dominant forces in the Missouri Valley Conference. She helped guide Jessica Diamond to a pair of first-team all-conference selections, Haleigh Lankster to 2011-12 MVC Defensive Player of the Year accolades, and Alex Harden to 2013, 2014 and 2015 MVC Tournament MVP honors as well as back-to-back MVC Defensive Player of the Year and 2015 MVC Player of the Year distinction. Harden developed into a 2015 WNBA Draft pick.

Prior to her tenure at WSU, Gordon spent three seasons as an assistant coach at Georgia State University in Atlanta. Along with being an assistant coach, she was GSU’s recruiting coordinator her final two seasons with the Panthers, where she helped land the No. 52 ranked class in the nation. Georgia State improved its win total in each season Gordon spent on the bench.

Before her stint in Atlanta, Gordon served one year as a regional scout for the WNBA in 2006-07. She traveled the country rating the top 50 seniors in the nation and evaluated underclassmen for future WNBA consideration.

From 2001-06, Gordon was an assistant coach in her hometown of DeLand, Fla., at Stetson University, and spent her last two seasons with the Hatters as the recruiting coordinator. In 2005, she helped lead the squad to its first conference tournament championship and the initial NCAA Tournament appearance in school history.

Gordon enjoyed a stellar collegiate playing career at Tennessee from 1985-89, helping lead Tennessee to its first two NCAA National Championships as a sophomore (1987) and as a senior (1989) along with two other Final Four appearances. That accomplishment made UT the first school in women’s basketball to advance to four consecutive NCAA Final Fours.

With Warlick serving as an assistant to Pat Summitt on those Tennessee teams, Gordon was a four-time All-SEC First Team performer and two-time Kodak All-American. Her number 30 is hanging from the rafters at Thompson-Boling Arena, and she is a member of the Women’s Basketball (2007), Tennessee Sports (2012), University of Tennessee Athletics (2001) and DeLand (Fla.) High School Halls of Fame.

Gordon was named NCAA Final Four MVP, SEC Female Athlete of the Year and SEC Player of the Year in 1989 and was the SEC Tournament MVP in 1988 and 1989. She collected SEC Freshman of the Year accolades in 1986 and later was named to the NCAA 25th Anniversary Team and the Team of the Decade (1980s).

Finishing her college career as UT’s all-time leader in points (2,462) and steals (336), Gordon remains second in both categories through the 2016-17 season. The 1989 UT graduate possesses a B.A. in political science.

On the international stage, Gordon earned her Olympic gold medal in 1988, prior to her senior year of college. She traveled to Seoul, South Korea, and helped the USA take the top spot on the podium. She was the fourth-leading scorer and one of two collegiate members of Team USA who brought home gold medals. Gordon’s .571 field goal percentage was second on the squad that went 5-0 to achieve its “Sole Goal” of “Seoul Gold”.

Following her collegiate career, Gordon played professionally in Italy, where she was a perennial all-star and won seven Italian Championships and two European Cups (1994 & 1996), and Turkey, before a two-year stint with the WNBA’s Sacramento Monarchs.

GORDON’S COLLEGE PLAYING CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
Tennessee (1985-89)

1988 U.S. Olympic gold medalist.
Helped lead Tennessee to its first two NCAA National Championships in 1987 and 1989 and played in a (then) NCAA-record four consecutive Final Fours.
Two-time Kodak and Naismith All-American and four-time All-SEC First Team selection.
Named 1989 NCAA Final Four MVP, SEC Female Athlete of the Year and SEC Player of the Year.
1986 SEC Freshman of the Year after becoming first freshman to lead the Lady Vols in scoring.
Named SEC Tournament MVP as UT won trophies in 1988 and 1989.
Named to NCAA 25th Anniversary Team and Team of the Decade (1980s).
Lady Vols were 115-21 during her four seasons on Rocky Top.
Finished her career as the NCAA Tournament leader in scoring and field goals and set a record by connecting on 17 free throws in a single game against Long Beach State in 1989.
Still ranks second at UT in career points (2,462) and steals (336).
One of six Lady Vols to have her jersey (30) hanging in Thompson-Boling Arena (Jan. 17, 1990).
2012 Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame inductee.
2007 Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame inductee.
2002 DeLand (Fla.) High School Hall of Fame inductee.
2001 UT Athletics Hall of Fame inductee.