In-state transfer Amaria Pugh is set to join the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga women's basketball team for Katie Burrows' third year as head coach of the Mocs.
"We are excited to have Amaria join us for the 2020-21 season," Burrows said in a UTC release announcing the addition of the 5-foot-10 guard from Dyersburg. "I look forward to getting her on the court and working with her."
As a sophomore this past season at Dyersburg State, Pugh averaged a team-best 19.1 points as well as six rebounds and 2.8 assists per game while shooting 47.2% from the field overall and 30.1% from 3-point range as the Lady Eagles went 24-8, including a 12-6 record in TCCAA play.
As a freshman starter at Freed-Hardeman in Henderson, Pugh helped the NAIA Division I program go 34-3, including 22-2 in the American Midwest Conference. The Lady Lions swept the conference's regular-season and tournament titles before advancing to the NAIA national semifinals.
Pugh scored more than 1,000 points as a high school player, averaging 15.5 points as a senior at Dyer County and earning all-region, all-district and academic recognition.
UTC shared the Southern Conference 2019-20 regular-season championship with Samford and UNC Greensboro, and the Mocs were set to play in the Women's National Invitation Tournament before the season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, Burrows and her staff must replace the production lost with the exit of Lakelyn Bouldin and NaKeia Burks, who accounted for 34% of UTC's offense as seniors this past season. Pugh joins Bradley Central's Anna Walker, who signed in November, and Brooke Hampel, who sat out this past season after transferring from the University of Missouri-Kansas City, as on-court additions for 2020-21.
Compiled by Marty Kirkland. Contact him at mkirkland@timesfreepress.com.