The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga announced the hiring of Valdosta State University coach Deandra Schirmer to lead its women’s basketball program on Thursday.
Here are five quick facts about the Mocs’ newest hire.
1. Coaching success: Schirmer was 114-31 in her five seasons at Georgia’s Valdosta State, with three seasons that concluded with a top 25 ranking for the NCAA Division II program, including sixth after the Lady Blazers won 26 games and advanced to the Elite Eight in the 2021-22 season. This past season, VSU won 30 games, which tied a program record. Even more impressive was Schirmer’s record against Gulf South Conference competition, with the Lady Blazers going 86-19 in league play.
2. Athletic nerd: She was an extremely busy person as a student-athlete at Holton (Kansas) High School. Schirmer was an all-state selection in basketball and volleyball, an all-league selection for softball and cross country, and an all-county selection in cross country and volleyball. She was also class valedictorian and a Kansas Scholar who won the distinguished scholastic achievement award from the Kansas State High School Athletic Association. She was the journalism yearbook editor, the yearmovie editor and was involved in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, band, Model United Nations, Students Against Destructive Decisions, Mathletes, the school play and a musical.