by BUFFALO, NY – University at Buffalo women’s basketball head coach Kristen Sharkey has announced the addition of former UB standout Summer Hemphill to the coaching staff for the 2025-26 season.
Hemphill comes to Buffalo after three successful seasons at Daemen University, helping lead the Wildcats to three-straight East Coast Conference regular season championships (2023, 2024, 2025), three ECC tournament titles (2023, 2024, 2025) and three NCAA tournament berths (2023, 2024, 2025), including a NCAA Tournament East Region championship in 2024.
Prior to embarking on her coaching career, Hemphill led the Bulls to unprecedented success across her time in the blue and white, leading UB to two Mid-American Conference championships and three NCAA Tournament appearances, including a run to the Sweet Sixteen in 2018.
Hemphill finished her career as the program’s all-time leading rebounder and leader in career games played (134) and is one of just two Bulls to record 1,000 career points and 1,000 career rebounds. She ranks in the top 10 in program history in scoring (1,417), rebounding (1,153), rebound average (8.6), field goals made (570), field goal percentage (52.4) and blocked shots (166).
The Buffalo native and Cardinal O’Hara graduate received several accolades along with those historic statistics as she was named to the MAC All-Freshman team, earned All-MAC honors twice and was named to the 2019 MAC All-Tournament team as a junior after setting a conference tournament record with 21 rebounds in the MAC championship game.
In her final season at UB (2021-22), Hemphill averaged a double-double with 13.0 points and 10.4 rebounds per game and led the Bulls in total rebounds (354) and blocks (43). She scored in double-digits 20 times, including six performances of 20+, as she led UB to a second conference championship in four years. Hemphill graduated with a bachelor’s degree in sociology in January of 2021.
“It’s always summertime in Alumni Arena,” said Sharkey. “Summer was part of the first recruiting class of my coaching career. She trusted us, let us push her, empower her and now she is doing the same for young women. She brings the love for Buffalo and a great understanding of what I want to achieve and knows what it takes to get this program to an NCAA Tournament. She’s on the Mount Rushmore of UB athletes and I am honored to have her with me on this journey.”
