New Mocs Coach Shawn Poppie Has UTC Back in First Place

Chattanooga-(WDEF-TV) What a turn-around for the UTC women’s basketball team this season.
They won only seven games last year, which was the worst season in program history.
Now under new head coach Shawn Poppie, the Mocs have doubled last year’s victory total…and they’re in sole possession of first place in the SoCon after their win Thursday night over Furman.

The Mocs hit their SoCon schedule in January with an 8-7 record, including several heart-breaking losses.
Said guard Yazz Wazeerud-din:”The games we lost. We lost in those last five minutes. A one possession game or we were up one. It was either that one possession. So I guess we decided. We did decide lock in in those last five minutes.”
UTC locked in during their SoCon opener…beating ETSU 53-50.
Said Wazeerud-din:”We found our groove. Playing with a lot of confidence. Everybody. It’s just important to stay on this and don’t go backwards.”
Chattanooga has won 18 SoCon tournament titles, but there hasn’t been a new championship banner since 2017. Coach Poppie had his team visualize winning a title before the season tipped off.
Said Poppie:”In the summer I was going through my desk. Had some left-over stuff and obviously with as many championships that have been won here, there was a bracelet of rings. I picked them up. I said what in the world is this? Well it was ring sizes. So I took it down to practice. I don’t remember what summer workout it was. We had our speech of what this could look like. Then we tried on the rings and sized everybody up and recorded it for when we get through the season.”
Still can’t get the bling just yet. Plenty of work ahead before making a championship a reality.
Said Poppie:”Pressure is a privilege. We put ourselves. We can feel pressure, but it’s a privilege. Now we’ve just got to keep being ourselves.”

UTC faces Wofford Saturday night at 7pm in their home finale.