American basketball coach and former forward, Olympic gold medalist, two-time NCAA champion, and Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame inductee.
Bridgette Gordon attended DeLand High School in DeLand, Florida, before joining the University of Tennessee in 1985. At Tennessee, she became one of the defining players of Pat Summitt’s early NCAA championship era. As a freshman in 1986, she earned SEC Freshman of the Year honors after becoming the first freshman to lead the Lady Volunteers in scoring.
Gordon’s college career developed alongside Tennessee’s rise as a national power. She helped the Lady Vols reach the Final Four in each of her four seasons, and Tennessee won NCAA national championships in 1987 and 1989. The 1987 title was the first NCAA championship in Tennessee women’s basketball history. Gordon was named to the Final Four All-Tournament Team in 1987 and again in 1989.
Her final college season in 1988–89 was her most decorated. Gordon was named NCAA Final Four Most Valuable Player after leading Tennessee to its second national championship. She also earned SEC Player of the Year, SEC Female Athlete of the Year, SEC Tournament MVP, and the Honda Sports Award for basketball. She was a two-time Kodak, Naismith, and USBWA All-American and a four-time All-SEC selection.
Gordon finished her Tennessee career with 2,462 points and 336 steals according to Tennessee records, ranking among the program’s all-time leaders. Her number 30 was later retired and displayed in Thompson-Boling Arena.
After college, Gordon played professionally in Italy and Turkey. In Italy, she became a regular all-star performer and won multiple Italian championships. She also won two FIBA European Cups with Pool Comense in the 1990s.
In 1997, Gordon was selected by the Sacramento Monarchs in the WNBA’s initial player allocation process. She made her WNBA debut on June 21, 1997, against the Utah Starzz, recording 12 points, three rebounds, three assists, and three steals. During the 1997 season, she started all 28 games for Sacramento and averaged 13.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.4 steals per game.
Her second WNBA season came in 1998, also with Sacramento. Her role decreased after the opening portion of the season, and she finished the year averaging 2.7 points and 1.3 rebounds per game. She was waived by the Monarchs in 1999 and later signed briefly with the New York Liberty, but did not appear in a regular-season game for the team.
Gordon began her coaching career at Stetson University, serving as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. She later worked as a WNBA regional scout before returning to college coaching at Georgia State. From 2010 to 2017, she coached at Wichita State, where she helped the program reach five straight postseason appearances and three consecutive NCAA Tournaments.
She returned to Tennessee as an assistant coach from 2017 to 2019, helping the Lady Vols reach the NCAA Tournament in both seasons. She later worked at SMU, Kansas State, Cincinnati, and New Mexico State. In 2023, Gordon was named head coach at Florida A&M. In her first season, she led the Rattlers to the SWAC Tournament for the first time in program history.
Bridgette Gordon represented the United States in major international competition during the late 1980s and early 1990s. She first played for the United States at the 1987 World University Games in Zagreb, Yugoslavia. The U.S. team finished with a 4–1 record and placed fifth. Gordon was one of the team’s leading contributors and scored 18 points in the opening game against Poland.
Her most significant international achievement came at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea. Gordon was one of two collegiate players on the United States women’s basketball team. She averaged 8.8 points per game during the tournament and scored 20 points against Yugoslavia. The United States finished undefeated at 5–0 and won the Olympic gold medal.
Gordon later represented the United States at the 1991 Pan American Games in Havana, Cuba. The team finished with a 4–2 record and won the bronze medal. Gordon averaged 11.3 points per game during the tournament. The United States defeated Canada in the bronze-medal game after losses to Brazil and Cuba earlier in the competition.
Her international career added Olympic and Pan American medals to a résumé already defined by collegiate and professional success. She remained connected to USA Basketball history as a member of the 1988 Olympic gold-medal team.
Bridgette Gordon is the head women’s basketball coach at Florida A&M University. As a player, she was a 6-foot forward known for scoring, rebounding, defensive activity, and transition play. Her college and professional roles required versatility, allowing her to contribute as a scorer, passer, rebounder, and defender. As a coach, her work has focused on recruiting, player development, and program building.
Bridgette Gordon was born and raised in DeLand, Florida. She attended DeLand High School before enrolling at the University of Tennessee, where she played from 1985 to 1989 and earned a bachelor’s degree in political science.
Gordon has maintained strong ties to both Tennessee and her home state of Florida throughout her basketball career. Her coaching journey began at Stetson University in DeLand, and in 2023 she returned to Florida as head coach at Florida A&M University.
Her career has included roles as a player, coach, recruiter, scout, and mentor. She has been recognized by multiple halls of fame, including the DeLand High School Hall of Fame, University of Tennessee Athletics Hall of Fame, Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame, and Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame.
Bridgette Gordon’s legacy is closely tied to the rise of Tennessee women’s basketball under Pat Summitt. She helped the Lady Volunteers win their first two NCAA championships and was part of the first senior class in program history to reach four consecutive Final Fours.
Her college career remains one of the most accomplished in Tennessee history. She finished among the program’s leaders in points and steals, earned multiple All-American honors, and had her number retired by the university.
Her professional career included success overseas and participation in the early years of the WNBA. Her later coaching career extended her influence into player development and recruiting across several Division I programs.
Internationally, Gordon’s Olympic gold medal with the United States in 1988 remains one of her defining achievements. Her induction into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2007 formally recognized her contributions to women’s basketball as a player and program figure.
Gordon was a two-time NCAA champion with Tennessee in 1987 and 1989. She appeared in four consecutive NCAA Final Fours and was named NCAA Final Four Most Valuable Player in 1989. She was also selected to the Final Four All-Tournament Team in 1987 and 1989.
At Tennessee, she was a two-time Kodak All-American, two-time Naismith All-American, and two-time USBWA All-American in 1988 and 1989. She was named SEC Freshman of the Year in 1986, All-SEC from 1986 through 1989, SEC Player of the Year in 1989, SEC Female Athlete of the Year in 1989, and SEC Tournament MVP in 1988 and 1989. She also won the Honda Sports Award for basketball in 1989.
Gordon was named to the NCAA 25th Anniversary Team and Team of the Decade for the 1980s. Her number 30 was retired by Tennessee, and she was inducted into the University of Tennessee Athletics Hall of Fame in 2001, the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2007, and the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in 2012.
Internationally, she won a gold medal with the United States at the 1988 Seoul Olympics and a bronze medal at the 1991 Pan American Games. Professionally, she won multiple Italian championships and two FIBA European Cups. As a coach, she has contributed to seven NCAA Tournament appearances across several programs and helped develop multiple future WNBA players.
Bridgette Cyrene Gordon is an American basketball coach and former professional player, born on April 27, 1967, in DeLand, Florida. She is best known for her collegiate career at the University of Tennessee, where she played under Pat Summitt and helped the Lady Volunteers become one of the leading programs in women’s college basketball.
Gordon played for Tennessee from 1985 to 1989 and was part of the program’s first two NCAA national championship teams in 1987 and 1989. She appeared in four consecutive Final Fours, making Tennessee the first women’s basketball program to accomplish that feat during the NCAA era. As a senior in 1989, she was named NCAA Final Four Most Valuable Player, SEC Player of the Year, SEC Female Athlete of the Year, and Honda Sports Award winner for basketball.
After college, Gordon played professionally overseas in Italy and Turkey before joining the WNBA’s Sacramento Monarchs in 1997. She played two WNBA seasons, appearing in 50 games. Her best WNBA season came in 1997, when she started every game for Sacramento and averaged 13.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game.
Gordon later transitioned into coaching. Her coaching career has included roles at Stetson, Georgia State, Wichita State, Tennessee, SMU, Kansas State, Cincinnati, New Mexico State, and Florida A&M. In 2023, she was named head women’s basketball coach at Florida A&M University. She is a member of the University of Tennessee Athletics Hall of Fame, Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame, and DeLand High School Hall of Fame.
