Caia Elisaldez was the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga women’s basketball team’s best player in the 2024-25 season, but there was no question that the leaders on the roster in Deandra Schirmer’s first campaign as head coach of the Mocs were Sigrun Olafsdottir and Karsen Murphy, both in their final college season.
But this year, Elisaldez gets a chance to assume both titles.
Coming off a season in which she was an All-Southern Conference first-team selection, the 5-foot-5 junior point guard was selected the league’s preseason player of the year as the Mocs were picked as the favorites to win their second SoCon title in four seasons and compete for their third tournament title in that same span.
“I think that we were able to see from a basketball standpoint a big leap from Caia from year one to year two, and this year it’s all about seeing a big leadership leap from year two to year three,” said Schirmer, who was 17-15 in a debut season that included an overtime loss to UNC Greensboro in the SoCon title game and a 1-1 showing in the postseason Women’s NIT.
“I think she’s really owned that responsibility,” Schirmer added. “I think right now it’s about her making sure she’s not just leading the group, but leading by example and doing all the right things.”