Women's Basketball Coaching Staff
Sharon Rissmiller
Head
Women's Basketball Coach
srissmiller@pacificu.edu
Former University of Portland standout Sharon Rissmiller became the ninth women's basketball coach in Pacific history on Apr. 26, 2007.
Rissmiller comes to Pacific after a highly successful three-season run as the head women's basketball coach at Tacoma Community College in Tacoma, Wash. She places Jeff Thompson, who resigned after four years with the program.
"In a short time, Sharon has succeeded in building a highly competitive program at the junior college level," Schumann said. "We think that she has the tools to turn our program at Pacific into a contender in the Northwest Conference, just as she did at Tacoma Community College. I am very excited to have her joining our team."
Rissmiller spent three seasons as the head coach at Tacoma Community College, successfully rebuilding the program from cellar dwellers to contenders. During her tenure, the Titans went from a 1-19 record in her first year to an 18-11 mark during the 2006-07 season, finishing third in the NWAACC's West Region and earning a spot in the NWAACC Playoff Tournament. Rissmiller had two of her players this season selected to the NWAACC All-West Region Team.
In addition to her coaching duties, Rissmiller served as an academic advisor to the college's health professions programs.
"I'm very excited, not only to be at Pacific but also in the Northwest Conference," Rissmiller said. "I'm grateful for the opportunity that Ken has given me."
Prior to her stint in Tacoma, Rissmiller spent one season as the head women's basketball coach at Clark College in Vancouver, Wash., and one season as the head junior varsity coach at Beaverton's Sunset High School. She also spent one season coaching Team Concept, a traveling team consisting of WNBA and overseas professionals.
Rissmiller sees a lot of potential in a Pacific team that finished 8-17 in 2006-07 and placed ninth in the conference. "I see this program as being a top-three team in the league every year," Rissmiller said. "The location of the school, the great college town, the beautiful campus and the variety of majors is different than any other school in this conference, and that will help draw good players. I want our worst seasons to be third place seasons."
A talented Division I player, Rissmiller played four years for Jim Sollars at the University of Portland. She is one of 17 Pilots to have scored 1,000 points or more and averaged 9.4 points per game over the course of her career. Rissmiller was a First Team All-West Coast Conference selection in 2001 and was named the Pilots' Most Valuable Player after averaging 13.6 points per game. She was an Honorable Mention All-WCC selection in 2000 after averaging 14.9 points per game.
A native of Tigard, Rissmiller was a four-year starter at Tigard High School, where she holds the school's career scoring record and led the Tigers to a fourth place state tournament finish. She was named to the 4A All-State Team as a senior and was the Metro League Player of the Year her junior and senior seasons.
Rissmiller, 28, graduated from Portland in 2001 with a degree in organizational communication.
Tara Podpah
Assistant
Women's Basketball Coach
Tara Podpah brings her immense basketball talent and experience at all levels of the collegiate game to Forest Grove for her first season as a Pacific assistant women's basketball coach.
Podpah spent the last two seasons as an assistant coach at Southern Oregon University in Ashland. While with the Raiders, Podpah helped lead the team to an 18-11 record in 2006-07 and a berth in the Cascade Conference postseason tournament.
Podpah was a three-year standout post for NCAA Division II New Mexico Highlands University, where she was a three-time All-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference selection. She averaged 16 points and 10 rebounds during her season and led the team to the RMAC West Division championship in 2005. That same year, Podpah was selected as an RMAC All-Academic Team.
Prior to her career at New Mexico Highlands, Podpah spent one season at Division I Idaho State, playing in 10 games while under a full scholarship.
A prep standout at Aloha High School, Podpah was the 2000-01 Gatorade Oregon High School Player of the Year after leading Class 4A with 21.5 points per game. She was named Metro League Player of the Year in 2001 and was named to the All-Metro League team three times.
Podpah graduated from New Mexico Highlands in 2005 with a degree in human performance with a emphasis in exercise science and a minor in business management. When not coaching, the Beaverton native is employed as a personal trainer at Bally's Total Fitness.