Bridgette Gordon, who in 2009-10 begins her third season as an assistant coach at Georgia State, was a 2007 inductee into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame.
“She provides instant credibility with her past success as one of the best players ever in women’s basketball,” expressed Coach Henry. “She has been an outstanding addition to this program and has a reputation for being a top-notch recruiter.”
Gordon is a 22-year basketball veteran with tremendous experience as both a collegiate and professional player. She assists Henry with all aspects of the program, including the signing of a 2007-08 recruiting class that was ranked No. 52 nationally by one service and a top notch 2008-09 recruiting class.
She came to the Panthers’ staff after spending the 2006-07 season as a WNBA scout.
AN AWARD-WINNING ATHLETE
Gordon, a former star at the University of Tennessee, helped lead the Lady Vols to four consecutive NCAA Final Four appearances (1986-1989) and its first two NCAA National Championships (1987 and 1989).
She was named the Final Four Most Outstanding Player in 1989 and was voted to the Final Four all-Tournament team in 1987 and 1989. Gordon was also a first-team All-Southeastern Conference performer all four years and earned SEC Player of the Year honors in 1989.
A two-time Kodak, Naismith and United States Basketball Writers’ Association (USBWA) All-American, Gordon still holds the Lady Vols record for most career steals (338) and is the second all-time leading scorer in school history (2,450 points), averaging 18.0 points and 6.7 rebounds in her UT career.
Gordon was a fierce competitor. In Pat Summitt’s book “Reach for the Summitt,” the coach tells a story about Bridgette in an NCAA Championship game. During a timeout, Bridgette angered the coach by
keeping her hand over her mouth. As coach challenged her team leader nose-to-nose, coach pulled Gordon’s hand from her mouth and instructed her to get back in the game and play harder. Only after the game and four straight baskets by Gordon did the coach learn that a trip to the dentist was mandatory because of the tooth that had been knocked loose and required surgery to save. In the autographed copy, Coach Summitt acknowledges her respect for Bridgette’s overall work ethic, competitive spirit and team leadership.
She was recognized as one of five players selected to the NCAA’s 25th Silver Anniversary team in 2006.
In 1988, Gordon was one of two collegiate members of the gold medal-winning USA Olympic women’s basketball team in Seoul, Korea. She graduated from Tennessee in 1989 with a bachelor’s of arts degree in political science.
PROFESSIONALLY
Over the next eight years, Gordon played for Pool Comense, a professional team in Casnate, Italy, winning the Italian League Championship every year from 1990-96. Gordon was an All-Star player each season and the league’s leading scorer twice.
In 1997, Gordon joined the Sacramento Monarchs in the Women’s National Basketball Association’s (WNBA) inaugural season. That year, she led the team in free throw percentage (78.5) and ranked second in scoring (13.0 ppg).
Gordon also played in Turkey and later worked as a broadcaster covering the Lady Vols for Fox Sports South. She retired as a player in 2000, after seeing action in 50 games during her two-year WNBA career.
PERSONAL
She was born April 27, 1967, in DeLand, Fla., and attended DeLand High School from 1982-85. Bridgette helped lead the Lady Bulldogs to their first state championship in 1984. She was also an All-State performer and the team’s leading scorer and rebounder all three seasons.
POST-COLLEGE CAREER
• Inducted into Basketball Hall of Fame (2007)
• Inducted into Tennessee Lady Vols Athletics Hall of Fame (2001)
• Played in WNBA with Sacramento Monarchs (1997-1998)
• Played Pro Ball overseas in Italy (1989-1997) and Turkey (1999-2000)
• Was All-Star pick and team won seven Italian Championships
• Assistant Basketball Coach, Stetson University (2001-2006)
• Scout for WNBA, (2006-07)
