Not long after the 2013-14 season, his first as women’s basketball coach at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Jim Foster looked at assistant coach Katie Burrows and told her, “When I get done, you need to take over.”
“When somebody like that tells you that you should do it, that you can do it, you believe it,” Burrows said.
Who’s next?
The Times Free Press has compiled a list of five potential candidates to replace Jim Foster, who retired after 40 seasons of coaching women’s college basketball, with his final five at UTC.› Jody Adams-Birch: The former Bradley Central High School and University of Tennessee standout compiled an 187-123 record in 10 seasons as a head coach, the final nine at Wichita State. She led the Shockers to three NCAA tournaments and a pair of WNIT appearances.› Katie Burrows: She spent the past eight seasons as assistant coach to the Mocs’ two previous head coaches, Wes Moore and Jim Foster. She spent time as an assistant at GPS before head coaching stints at Ringgold and Tullahoma.› Marty Rowe: In 20 seasons of coaching (the past 14 at Division II Lee University), Rowe has 503 career wins, with 372 coming at Lee. His success with the Lady Flames includes an NAIA national runner-up finish as well as another appearance in the national semifinals, a pair of NCAA Division II tournament appearances and a National Christian College Athletic Association national championship in 2014-15, when the Lady Flames were transitioning from the NAIA to the NCAA.› Jason Smith: The Bryan College women’s coach has compiled a 141-78 record in seven seasons, a span that includes a trio of NAIA Division II national tournament appearances. A jump like this wouldn’t be unprecedented — former Bryan coach Matt Bollant left the Lady Lions in 2007 after five seasons to take over at Green Bay.› Nikki West: Although she lacks head coaching experience, West is very familiar with the area because she has spent the past 14 seasons on Moore’s staff, including nine years at UTC. She has been the associate head coach at North Carolina State the past five seasons, helping the Wolfpack compile a 112-52 record.
Albeit on an interim basis, she’s getting that chance right now.
Burrows, the former Lookout Valley and UTC standout who has been a Mocs assistant for eight years, is in charge of the program while school administration starts the process of finding a replacement for Foster, who retired Tuesday after 40 seasons of coaching.