Moments after a 70-61 victory over East Tennessee State last season, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga women’s coach Jim Foster said the Lady Bucs’ upcoming inclusion to the Southern Conference was going to be “an interesting additon to our league.”
So far, he’s been right.
The ETSU women are 5-0 in the SoCon, keeping pace with the 25th-ranked Mocs. The Lady Bucs have a tough weekend ahead, with home games against Samford (4-1) and UTC (6-0).
“This group is very similar to last year,” second-year ETSU coach Brittany Ezell said. “It’s been able to understand our philosophy, system and a culture we tried to implement. Coming in and bringing in a new staff, changes are difficult, but the girls have bought it.”
A key to the program’s success so far this season has been not overlooking anybody, which shouldn’t be hard for a team back in the conference for the first time in 10 seasons. After the top three teams, along with Mercer and Furman, the other programs — Western Carolina, Wofford and UNC Greensboro are a combined 1-14.