Last season was a breakout era for the UTC basketball programs. The men’s team made history, bringing Chattanooga their first-ever NCAA Division I national tournament title in the National Invitation Tournament. They were also and named “Amateur Male Team of the Year” by the 2025 Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame. Women’s basketball turned in a polished season under head coach Deandra Schirmer, who led them to the SoCon tournament title game and two rounds of the WNIT, being the only coach in program history to win a postseason game in their first season with the team.
Though the golden glow of successful seasons will be forever etched in the minds of Chattanooga basketball fans and NIT viewers alike, the white-hot spotlight is beginning to dim as the Mocs enter brand-new seasons. They say fame is a vapor, and it seems Chattanooga will have to fight earnestly to turn that fading glimmer into a lasting legacy.
Men’s Basketball
Head coach Dan Earl enters his fourth season with the Mocs after showcasing his leadership and relentless dedication to the program last year. Chattanooga closed out the season with an impressive surge, winning 17 of its final 18 games, including five straight wins to capture the NIT championship crown beneath the lights of historic Hinkle Fieldhouse. Earl’s 68 wins are the most by any head coach through their first few seasons at UTC.
With many championship players gone to graduation and star guard Honor Huff transferring to West Virginia after a breakout year, Earl and his staff have assembled a roster of fresh, dynamic talent to keep the victories flooding in.
Three Mocs seem to be obvious locks to start this season. Graduate transfer Jikari Johnson (Trevecca Nazarene), graduate transfer Teddy Washington Jr. (SEMO), and redshirt sophomore forward Collin Mulholland all earned spots on the SoCon Preseason All-Conference Team. Johnson, who shot 47.8% from the field last season, brings athleticism and experience across multiple levels. Washington Jr. looks poised to carry the same fire that powered SEMO to an OVC regular-season title. Mulholland, last year’s underdog story, made five crucial starts all during the NIT championship run. His ability to step up when it counts (as he holds the record for most three-point attempts in a postseason game) captures the steady heartbeat of a Chattanooga team standing on the doorstep of a new era.
Notable transfers include Billy Smith (Bellarmine), Brennan Watkins (VMI), Jordan Frison (Pittsburg State), and Sebastian Hartmann (Eastern Washington). Continuing the Bellarmine-to-UTC pipeline is Smith. He averaged 14 points per game and shot 44.5% from the field last season. At 6’7″, his size, skill, and high basketball IQ could prove key to the Mocs’ offensive rhythm, according to Earl. Watkins, a familiar name in the Southern Conference after transferring from VMI, reappears under Earl’s watchful eye. The connection between an athlete and his freshman-year coach might help the team rekindle cohesion after losing many championship contributors. Both Frison and Hartmann bring efficient scoring: 49.8% and 51.0% from the field, respectively. Frison was the 2025 MIAA Player of the Year, while Hartmann brings valuable international experience with Germany’s National Team at the 2022 U18 Euro Championship A.
But the spotlight doesn’t fall solely on newcomers. Junior Sean Cusano had several key moments last season, appearing in all five NIT games, including 15 minutes in the semifinal win over Loyola Chicago. Meanwhile, junior Ryan Lopez, though limited to brief, one-minute appearances last year, did see time against Dayton in the NIT and is slated to see more action this season as one of the program’s long-tenured players.
Women’s Basketball
After the sting of falling short in the SoCon Championship and bowing out of the WNIT, the women’s team enters the new season with a fire in their bellies, determined to outdo last year’s success. The spotlight is sure to follow their drive, as the Mocs have already been picked as Preseason Favorites to claim the conference title in the coaches’ poll.
Notable returners include junior Caia Elisaldez and sophomore Gianna Corbitt, both proven leaders on the court. Elisaldez led the team with 24 double-digit scoring games and started all but one game last season. Now named Preseason Player of the Year, her fast-paced style and intensity make her a cornerstone of the program. Corbitt, who stands beside Elisaldez on the Preseason All-Conference Team, made a name for herself as a true freshman by starting 30 of 32 games and delivering strong performances throughout the WNIT run.
The Mocs also turned to the transfer portal to replace standout graduates Sigrun Olafsdottir, Karsen Murphy, and Brooke Anya. Sarah Owana, a Belgian native and rising junior from Florida Southwestern, helped lead the Bucs to a Citrus Conference title and an NJCAA Sweet 16 appearance, earning her Second Team All-Conference honors. Her championship experience and poise will add depth and maturity to the Mocs’ rotation. Falon Bedke, a 6’1″ transfer from Southern Idaho, adds size and versatility, having played in all 31 of SI’s games last year and making 19 starts throughout her collegiate career. Schirmer describes Bedke as a player of “high character and a strong work ethic,” which are qualities that align perfectly with the Mocs’ determination as they approach another year of competitive SoCon play.
As the new season tips off, both UTC programs find themselves striking a balance between the weight of expectation with the thrill of opportunity. Basketball openers are slated for Monday, November 3rd in McKenzie Arena and are free for students to attend. The women’s team will face King University at 12pm, and the men’s team will follow that evening against Union College at 7pm.