Sullivan brought much success and experience when she took the head coaching job before the onset of 2000 season. As a prep player, Sullivan won the Oklahoma State High School Softball Tournament in 1985 and was named the 1985 State Tournament Most Valuable Player. She was also named to the Oklahoma All-State Teams for softball and basketball during her high school career.

Sullivan continued her career at Oklahoma Baptist University, where Sullivan was named OBU Athlete of the Year, OBU Presidential Scholar Athlete of the Year, and she also set the career record for lowest earned run average. Sullivan also served as Fellowship of Christian Athletes president for three years.

After her playing days Sullivan was hired as an assistant coach at OBU. In 1991 Sullivan became the nation's youngest head softball coach when OBU promoter her to take over the softball program. In her first season Sullivan became the winningest first-year coach in OBU history and led the Bisons to 30-win seasons in each of her two seasons as head coach. Amy Riggins, Sullivan's former head coach at Oklahoma Baptist University, says, "Angela was willing to work hard, put in extra hours, and never took short cuts. She is a true master of pitching techniques. She can translate the complicated movement principles of pitching into easy-to-understand basics. She is able to keep the sport and competition in balance with the real purpose of life."

Sullivan looks toward this season with much anticipation as her team tries to improve on a 21-29 campaign. Last year's team nearly doubled its win total, and with the team moving to an on-campus facility for the first time, the "New Beginning" theme really takes shape for the 2001 edition of Sullivan's program. Sullivan returns several starters and has added several key players, additions that will allow her to return all of her players to their natural positions.