ATHENS, Ga. – Andy Landers, the University of Georgia's only full-time women's basketball coach in history, has announced his retirement.
Landers, 52, just completed his 36th season with the Lady Bulldogs, amassing more than 850 wins.
I feel blessed to have had the privilege of working at the University of Georgia for the past 36 years. Athens is a wonderful community where I have raised my family and had the unwavering support of my wife Pam, my daughter Andrea and my son Drew. I appreciate the support of a wonderful Bulldog NationŠour loyal fansŠand the Fastbreak Club members. I owe a special thanks to Coach Vince Dooley for entrusting me with the challenge of building a successful program 36 years ago and to Greg McGarity for continuing that trust and support. A big thank you to Hugh Durham for being a young coach's mentors to Presidents Davison, Knapp, Adams and Morehead for their guidance and leadershipŠto all my former and present staff members and coaches who worked tirelessly to help make the success that we have a reality.
But most of all, I want to thank each and every player for committing to the challenge of being the best they could be because in so doing they contributed to and established a tradition that fewer than a handful can match. They created a program that ranks among the most elite nationwide. I want to say once more that each and every honor that has come my way is the result of unselfish individuals who believed their team and the name on the front of their jersey was more important than the name on the back. Once again, thanks to everyone who has contributed to and supported Georgia Basketball just like this University, you're special.
Landers was named Georgia's head coach on April 24, 1979. In his second season,he lead the tead to teh 1981 WNIT national title. The next year, the Lady Bulldogs played in the first-ever NCAA tournament. A season after that, they made the NCAA Final Four. Two years later, they made it to the finals.
Overall, Landers has led his team to 20 "Sweet 16" appearances, 11 "Elite Eights", five Final Fours, and the national championship game twice. The Lady Bulldogs have won 7 SEC championships and four SEC Tournament titles under Landers' tenure.
According to the bio on the UGA website, Landers overall record in 36 seasons as coach of the Lady Bulldogs was 862-299. His lifetime record in 40 seasons was 944-320.
