University of Tennessee at Chattanooga women's basketball coach Wes Moore was counting on signee Taylor Hall to give the departure-depleted Lady Mocs some help in the post this season.
Instead, the 6-foot-1 Hall, the Tennessee Class AAA player of the year last season, has opted not to attend UTC or continue her basketball career.
"I've played year-round since I was probably 8, and I just kind of got tired of it," said Hall, who now is living in Kentucky and enrolled at a community college.
Moore said Hall had spoken to him several times over the summer, expressing her doubts about playing in college, so the decision wasn't a surprise.
"She told me she'd felt kind of burned out since her junior year [at Morristown West High School]," said Moore, who has directed the Lady Mocs to 11 straight Southern Conference regular-season titles.
It's the latest blow in what has been a very difficult stretch for Moore since he returned to the program in late April after briefly accepting the East Carolina job.
Following the graduation of starters Megan Rollins and two-time SoCon player of the year Shanara Hollinquest, plus the departures of freshmen Michelle Davis and Erin Helton, who also decided to quit playing, the Lady Mocs were in dire need of forwards.
"The worst thing is that it's all hitting us at the same position," Moore said.
UTC also lost guard Kori Penland, who quit the team to focus on ministry work.
Hall led Morristown West to a 34-2 record and the Class AAA state final last season, earning Gatorade state player of the year and Class AAA Miss Basketball honors. She averaged 18.3 points and 9.8 rebounds as a senior, while shooting 40 percent from 3-point range.
The Lady Mocs return just two starters, guards Kayla Christopher and Tenisha Townsend, from last season's team that went 24-9 and lost to Oklahoma State in the NCAA tournament.