Shelly Pond knows about the successful history of Southwestern Oklahoma State University women’s basketball and the rich tradition it has enjoyed. The western Oklahoma native grew up in nearby Oney and went on to be a four-year starter for the Bulldogs after a stellar high school career.

With SWOSU, Pond was a member of three NAIA National Tournament teams, including a member of the 1990 NAIA National Champion squad. She was selected as an NAIA Scholar Athlete and was an honorable mention choice for the Oklahoma Intercollegiate All-Conference team following her senior year in 1992.

Pond began her coaching career at the same high school, Binger-Oney, where she starred as a prepster earning conference most valuable player honors three times. Pond was selected as the 1988 Oklahoma Small School Player-of-the-Year after leading her team to consecutive six-on-six state tournaments.

Pond spent three years at Binger-Oney before returning to SWOSU where she joined John Loftin as an assistant coach in 1995. With Pond aboard, SWOSU qualified for the NAIA Tournament the next two years, including advancing to the NAIA Final 4 in 1997.

Pond returned back to the prep ranks taking over at Weatherford High School. She stayed at WHS for two years before going back to the collegiate ranks when Loftin stepped down after 19 seasons at SWOSU.

Pond’s first SWOSU team struggled finishing the year with a 9-17 record, but the building blocks were in place for the future. The next two years SWOSU’s record steadily improved and the Bulldogs found themselves qualifying for the Lone Star Conference Tournament.

Pond’s biggest victory at SWOSU was when her underdog squad pulled a stunning 70-55 upset over LSC South Division champion Angelo State. The victory came on the Rambelles home court in the first round of the 2003 LSC Tournament.

Now set to begin her seventh year as the leader of the SWOSU women’s basketball program, Pond’s overall record is 70-92 (.432) and includes three trips to the LSC Tournament.

Pond and her husband, Doug, have a son, Brooks, and a daughter, Bailee.

shelly.pond@swosu.edu
(580) 774-3290