Purdue women’s hoops hires Lindsay Wisdom-Hylton as assistant coach
From Purdue Athletics
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Former Boilermaker All-American Lindsay Wisdom-Hylton will join the Purdue women’s basketball coaching staff, head coach Sharon Versyp announced Wednesday.
The Naperville, Ill., native has been playing professional basketball since graduating from Purdue, most recently with the WNBA’s Washington Mystics.
Lindsay will be a great addition to our staff for many reasons, Versyp said. She is familiar with players, our program, style of play and my coaching style. She has played at the highest level and brings not only her Purdue experience, but her WNBA and international professional experience to the job. I expect it to be a seamless transition for her, and I know she is excited to be giving back to the program.
She’s excited to get to work with the players, but she also is looking forward to the recruiting aspect of the job, and I am confident she will be an outstanding recruiter. She will be able to relate to the prospects and should have their respect due to her basketball success. Lindsay has connections in the Midwest, especially the Chicago area, as well as on the West Coast due to her time with the LA Sparks. We are all thrilled to welcome Lindsay back to the Boilermaker family.
Wisdom-Hylton graduated from Purdue in May of 2009 and was the 13th overall pick in the first round of the 2009 WNBA draft by the Sparks. She played two seasons with the Sparks, one with the Chicago Sky and this past season with the Mystics. Wisdom-Hylton also played professionally on the international level, competing for teams in Austria, France, Greece and Israel.
I am very honored to be back at Purdue and to be working with a great staff and an unbelievable group of young ladies, Wisdom-Hylton said. This is an opportunity of a lifetime, and I can’t wait to get back on campus and get started. The season is approaching very quickly, so I will do my best to get acclimated right away. I am very appreciative to coach Versyp for the opportunity to fulfill my dream of a career as a college coach, and to do so at my alma mater is amazing.
As a senior at Purdue, Wisdom-Hylton led the Boilermakers in scoring, rebounding, blocked shots and field goal percentage. She holds the school record for career rebounds (968) and blocked shots (281). Wisdom-Hylton was part of a senior class that led the Boilermakers to a 25-11 record and the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight, the second appearance in the regional final for the group.
For her college career, Wisdom-Hylton averaged 11.9 points, 7.1 rebounds, 2.3 steals, 2.1 blocks and 2.0 assists while shooting 52.4 percent from the floor. The 6-foot-2 forward was named honorable mention All-American, first team All-Big Ten and Academic All-Big Ten in her final year at Purdue. She was the 2007 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, a three-time member of the Big Ten All-Defensive Team, two-time honorable mention All-American, two-time NCAA Regional All-Tournament Team, two-time Big Ten All-Tournament Team, a member of the 2005 Big Ten All-Freshman Team and three-time All-Big Ten, including a first team selection as a junior and a senior.
Wisdom-Hylton’s expected start date is Oct. 1, the first day of official practice for the Purdue women’s basketball team. Wisdom-Hylton is filling the vacancy created by the departure of assistant coach Martin Clapp. She served on Versyp’s staff on a temporary basis during the 2009-10 season when Clapp was on a medical leave of absence.
