RUSTON, La. -- Leon Barmore of Louisiana Tech, one of the most prominent coaches in women's basketball, will resign after his team finishes play in the NCAA Women's Tournament.

Barmore is completing his 18th season at the school. He has the best winning percentage (.868) in Division I basketball -- men or women.

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"I gave all I have," he said Friday. "I have one more run at the national championship and that's it."

Barmore made the tearful announcement at the end of a news conference leading to the NCAA Midwest Regional. Louisiana Tech (28-2) will open play Saturday at home against Alcorn State.

Louisiana Tech and Tennessee are the only women's teams to play in all 19 NCAA Women's Tournaments. Under Barmore, the Techsters reached the Final Four nine times and won the championship in 1988.

"One of the things I'm most proud of is that every girl that's played here for the full four years has gone to a Final Four," Barmore said.

Barmore said he timed the announcement so Louisiana Tech would have enough time to replace him.

He refused to answer questions and said he would fully discuss his resignation once the Lady Techsters have won, or been eliminated from, the tournament.

"I love this school," Barmore said. "I don't want this story to be about me. But I didn't think it would be fair to wait."

Athletic director Jim Oakes tried to get Barmore to change his mind.

"I would say that for women's basketball, this is akin to what the day John Wooden announced his retirement was for men's basketball," Oakes said. "Leon is a pioneer and a giant in the women's game."

His record is 517-76, and he reached 500 victories faster than any other active coach. This season, he was the Sun Belt Conference coach of the year for the sixth time.

Barmore told his players just before the news conference.

"We were stunned," Betty Lennox said. "I feel bad for the freshmen. I can't imagine this program without him."

Leon Barmore has the highest winning percentage of any college coach. (AP)

Oakes said assistant coach Kim Mulkey-Robertson is a strong candidate to replace Barmore. A Tech player from 1980-84, Mulkey-Robertson has been on the Louisiana Tech staff for 15 years, the associate head coach the past four years.

Barmore began as an assistant in 1977-78 under Sonja Hogg, who made the team a national power as interest in women's college basketball grew. He was hired as associate head coach for the 1980-81 season, and was made co-head coach the next season. He became the lone head coach when Hogg left in 1985.

Before other schools were selling out gyms for women's games or dominating play, the Techsters were well established. In a school with less than 10,000 students, in a town of about 20,000, the Lady Techsters regularly draw better than 8,000.

Tech guard Tamicha Jackson said Barmore's resignation is certain to provide additional motivation for the tournament.

"Not that we needed one," she said. "But we certainly want to go out with a bang now."