A long, “crazy” offseason has finally come to an end for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga women’s basketball team.
Monday, the Lady Mocs – winners of 11 straight Southern Conference championships – will begin preseason practice, formally putting behind them an offseason that included several years’ worth of turbulence.
“It’s been crazy, a lot of ups and downs,” said sophomore guard Kayla Christopher, one of two returning starters from last year’s squad that won the SoCon regular-season and tournament titles.
Coach Wes Moore, who briefly accepted the East Carolina job before returning to UTC for his 13th season, will have one of his youngest and least experienced teams.
The Lady Mocs’ roster includes five freshmen, four sophomores, three juniors and no seniors. Only one of the juniors – point guard Tenisha Townsend – played last season.
Christopher and Townsend are a solid twosome at the guard positions, but UTC is starting over at the other three spots following the graduation of two-time SoCon player of the year Shanara Hollinquest and the departure of several others.
Junior Whitney Hood, a 6-foot-2 forward who sat out last season after transferring from Clemson, will need to be the anchor in the lane at both ends of the floor.
“I don’t think there’s any doubt that Whitney’s going to be a very important part of what we’re doing with our 4-out, 1-in [system],” Moore said.
Hood was in and out of the starting lineup during her two seasons at Clemson and averaged 7.2 points and 3.5 rebounds as a sophomore. Even though she has yet to suit up for UTC in a game, Hood is one of the oldest, most experienced players on the team.
“I have to be ready,” Hood said. “It’s not necessarily pressure, but going into practice every day and focusing on every possession and just taking practice like a game, it’s very important that we have leadership, and I plan on being a leader this year.”
The Lady Mocs will have to rely heavily on freshmen this season, just as they did a year ago, so the newcomers will have to catch on quickly during the 30 preseason practices spread over 40 days.
UTC opens its season against East Tennessee State on Nov. 12