'Stand for excellence, walk tall': New FAMU women's basketball coach aims to put stamp on program

Bridgette Gordon has returned home to Florida.

The DeLand native and former Tennessee Lady Volunteers (1985-1989) standout was introduced as Florida A&M's eighth women's basketball coach in program history Friday.

Gordon, 56, who had joined New Mexico State's staff last month as an assistant and recruiting coordinator, sat alongside FAMU Vice President and Director of Athletics Tiffani-Dawn Sykes and University President Dr. Larry Robinson at the Al Lawson Multipurpose Center before her family, media, and Rattler Nation.

"It's a tremendous honor and privilege to sit here as the head coach of FAMU's women's basketball program," Gordon said in her opening statement. "It's an accomplishment to be selected to lead a group of young ladies from this prestigious university. I'm ready to work and learn so much by being a blessing to be their coach.

"This moment reminds me about all the long talks that I had with colleagues about one day being a head coach," Gordon continued. "And what a better place to be than your home state of Florida. There's no place like home.

"I'm so honored and humbled for this chance. I know my coach and mentor Pat Summitt is looking down from Heaven and would be so proud of me. As well as my Lady Vol family."

Gordon replaces former FAMU head coach Shalon Pillow, who also played basketball at Tennessee (1998-2002) under Summitt. Pillow resigned from her position on July 6 after three years and two seasons (2020 season cancelled/COVID-19).

Gordon's hiring featured a virtual interview with Skyes and university leadership. Friday was the first time Gordon saw FAMU's facilities in person.

Her first day as head coach will be on Monday, Aug. 14.

"I'm fortunate that I'm able to lean on our Office of General Counsel and Human Resources whenever I'm making any decisions," Sykes said about giving Gordon the nod without advertising the position. "The State of Florida and Florida A&M University allows us to make hires through a waiver process that's common throughout the state university system.

"I had a number of people call me about Coach Gordon and her resume speaks for itself. So, there was really no need for me to open this up to a committee because I knew that there would be no one with the pedigree that she has.

"So, we were able to work within the university regulations and system to get her hired and on board."

Alongside returning to her home state, Gordon kept it simple on what made the opportunity to lead FAMU women's basketball as a first-time head coach so enticing.

"Because they wanted me," she said. "Tiffani believed in me from day one. I felt her energy on the phone when she first interviewed me.

"Why not come back and lead a prestigious university that I've been familiar with all my life? And why not now?"

A career filled of victories, Bridgette Gordon tasked to bring FAMU women's basketball to prominence

Gordon comes to FAMU with a decorated basketball career.

As a player, she helped Summit win her first two NCAA Championships in 1987 and 1989. Additionally, Gordon's No. 30 jersey is retired at Tennessee and she's a gold medalist from the 1988 Seoul Olympics.

Gordon played professionally overseas in Italy and Turkey, winning seven Italian Championships and two European Cups before a two-year stint (1997-1998) in the WNBA with the Sacramento Monarchs.

Her coaching stops, all as an assistant, include Georgia State, Wichita, Tennessee, Southern Methodist (SMU), Kansas State, Cincinnati, and New Mexico State. She also was a WNBA Regional Scout in 2006.

Bridgette Gordon's Women's Basketball Hall of Fame Profile

"My resume speaks for itself," Gordon said.

'We're going to go out and recruit the best. And start in Florida. Once we bring back those winning ways here at FAMU and get everyone back excited about FAMU women's basketball, the state of Florida is going to get on board to bring those recruits to me."

The FAMU women's hoops program has fallen on tough times.

The Rattlers finished 6-23 last season and haven't posted a winning season since 2015-2016 under LeDawn Gibson. Additionally, they haven't appeared in the NCAA Tournament since 1999, when Claudette Farmer was the coach.

Gordon is charged to restore the team's winning ways. And she's up for the challenge.

She started by meeting with FAMU's 11 players on Friday morning ahead of her press conference. The Rattlers have 15 scholarships in total for basketball.

Gordon also says she plans to set a staff of assistants in the coming weeks.

"We spoke as a family," Gordon said of the team meeting. "The championship ingredients are here. I'm coming here to help them, but they also want to help me in this process.

"There's no task that's too big or too small for me. I'm going to mop the floors. I'll carry their bags. And when they see me as the head of the body doing those things, they're going to follow me. The energy is contagious.

"My young ladies are going to develop not just on the basketball court, but in the classroom. I'm trying to build this program back up with care. They're going to sit in the first three rows in the classroom, stand for excellence, walk tall, and bring FAMU women's basketball back to the top where it's supposed to be."

Bridgette Gordon piloting a new energy to FAMU women's basketball, already taking first steps in role

As a player, Gordon was known as a bucket-getter, scoring 2,450 points in four years at Tennessee.

But she's bringing a hard-nosed coaching approach to FAMU. She wants to see her players get in the opponents' face and challenge them defensively.

"I scored a lot of points in my career, but it all started with defense," Gordon said of her coaching philosophy. "It doesn't take talent to play defense. It takes heart, discipline, dedication, sacrifice, and a lot of work.

"You should be able to turn on the TV and know who we are by the energy we play with and how we bond together ― even if your TV is your distorted.

"When teams come into this building, they're going to recognize what they're about to feel. And if you want to deter who we are, it's going to be pressure. So, call us 'Pressure,' because we're going to be about the business."

The NCAA is currently allowing teams eight hours per week of film, strength, and condition during the summer. Preseason practice is scheduled to begin when FAMU's fall classes begin on Monday, Aug. 28.

Gordon is ready to get off and running, as she's already began game planning for the season opener against her alma mater Tennessee. The FAMU-Tennessee game details have not been released yet.

"No sleep," Gordon said. "Putting my foot down to hit the ground running ― exhale, put my gloves on, put on my running shoes, and just keep running. All I ask for is to get one percent better everyday.

"I'm already working on the scouting report. My debut as a head coach is in the Thomson Boiling Arena against the Lady Vols.

"This is God's plan."

Gerald Thomas, III covers Florida A&M University Athletics for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him via email at gdthomas@gannett.com or on Twitter @3peatgee.

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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FAMU Basketball: Bridgette Gordon introduced as new women's coach