Photo by: Ray Soldano
10/23/2026 11:03:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Chattanooga looks to continue its Championship tradition in the 2026-27 season
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - We are just 10 days away from the official start of the Chattanooga Women's Basketball Season. The 2026-27 Mocs are hungry for more success after a SoCon Regular Season Championship a year ago. To learn more about this year's team and the upcoming season, keep on reading.
Coaching Staff
Beginning her third year as Chattanooga Women's Basketball Head Coach is Deandra Schirmer. She holds a 37-26 record and 19-9 SoCon record in the Scenic City. She has one SoCon Regular Season Championship, two SoCon Championship Game appearances, and two National Tournament appearances during her tenure.
Also beginning their third year with the Mocs are Assistant Coaches, Alexis Uffmann, Nicole Heyn, and Mallory Odell. Sydney Johnson rounds out Chattanooga's full-time staff as Assistant Coach after being promoted from Graduate Assistant a year ago. New to the team this year is Grace Pack, who is the team's Graduate Assistant, after concluding her playing career at Western Carolina last season. In a support staff role, Harry Warner (Athletics Performance) and Ariel Beam (Sports Medicine) are in their first years with the Mocs.
2025-26 Recap
Chattanooga went 20-11 and 10-4 in the SoCon to claim a share of the Regular Season Championship. During the season, the Mocs went two months without a defeat, winning 12 consecutive games from Dec. 7-Feb. 7. As the No. 1 seed, UTC defeated Western Carolina and Furman in the SoCon Tournament before falling to Samford in the Championship Game. As a result of their strong regular season, Chattanooga was selected to play in the WBIT for the first time. The Mocs were sent to No. 1 seed, North Dakota State, where they were defeated in the First Round.
Caia Elisaldez was named the SoCon Player of the Year, becoming the first Moc since Taylor Hall in 2014 to win the award. Elisaldez alongside Gianna Corbitt were named First Team All-SoCon while Izzy McPherson was tabbed to the All-Freshman Team. Corbitt also picked up Defensive Team honors. Corbitt and Elisaldez earned All-Tournament Team honors as well.
Who do the Mocs bring back?
Chattanooga returns seven players from last year's team, including four players who made starts in McPherson, Ava Card, Falon Bedke, and Sarah Owona. McPherson is Chattanooga's top returning scorer, averaging 7.3 points per game, while Card was right behind her at 6.4 points per game. McPherson was second on the team in 3-pointers last season with 50 while Card ranked second on the team in rebounds per game with 4.7.
"Izzy's such an unselfish player, she knows this year that she's going to be relied on. And so she's somebody that has to come out, and we talk about shot count. You know, she has to come out firing. And I think she's really excited about that," said Schirmer at SoCon Media Day earlier this month.
"Ava has gone from a freshman, where her eyes are this big, to now she's our leader. And now she's our calming force, and now she's kind of our lighthouse in the storm. And when we're having a tough day, she's the one that sets the tone. Ava's the first to be like, hey guys, we got to pick it up. Hey, this isn't what we're about, and this isn't our standard. So she's been such a leader for us," said Schirmer at SoCon Media Day.
Bedke started all but one game last season at forward and was one of Chattanooga's top defenders. The Idaho native averaged just under 3 points and 3 rebounds a game. Owona was a lethal 3-point shooter for UTC last year, shooting the 3-ball at 39.2%, with 31 triples on the year.
Chattanooga also brings back the sophomore trio of London Weaver, Evie Bruce, and Kami Wilson, who are looking to take that next step after their freshman campaigns.
"I think when you look at a program, we always talk about having depth, and we want to bring in players that we can develop. And I really feel like our sophomore class has a lot to showcase this year. They are ready to go," said Schirmer at SoCon Media Day.
Who did the Mocs lose?
Chattanooga lost its top three scorers from a year ago in Elisadez (17 ppg), Corbitt (15.2 ppg), and Kalifa Ford (7.8 ppg). The Mocs also lost Frode Flos van der Schans (2.9 ppg). In total 66.1% of UTC's scoring from last season will need to be replaced. Corbitt was also UTC's top rebounder at 8.4 rebounds per game.
Transfer Portal Additions
UTC added three players from the transfer portal in Caelan Ellis (Charleston Southern, Guard), TaTianna Stovall (Kennesaw State, Forward), and Gabbie Grooms (Georgia State, Guard).
Ellis is the veteran of the group, as a fifth-year player. She averaged 12.7 points per game and ranked fourth in the Big South in 3-pointers last year with 77 makes.
"We lost a lot of production on the offensive end. So obviously, we had to go to work recruiting. Bringing in someone like Caelan, who scored 13 points a game, that's fantastic for us to add onto our roster to an already established core, and I feel like she's somebody that fits seamlessly into what we're trying to do," said Schirmer at SoCon Media Day.
Stovall comes from just down the road in Cleveland, where she won multiple State Championships at Bradley Central. She is a sophomore, and averaged 6.8 points per game and 5.7 rebounds per game in her freshman year at Kennesaw State. She also set the school record for blocks per game with 1.5.
"I think for anybody who's followed my coaching career and knows the type of player that I like to coach, TaTianna is perfect for that. She's so coachable. She's such a hard worker, and she's so dynamic. She's somebody that can give us production both on the defensive side and on the offensive side," said Schirmer at SoCon Media Day.
Grooms joins the Mocs as a junior, and is the daughter of former WNBA player Lady Grooms. In her sophomore year at Georgia State, Grooms scored 5.3 points per game and brought in 2.7 rebounds per game. She scored a career-high 17 points against Old Dominion last February.
"Gabbie is a huge piece to our portal class. She's somebody who comes in and can play that point guard position and just has a dynamic force to her game. She makes a ton of the right plays," said Schirmer at SoCon Media Day.
Notes on the Freshman
The Mocs have three true freshmen on their roster, recruiting two guards in Sinae Hill and Lydia Ledford, and one post player in Aaliyah Story. Hill comes from Minneapolis, Minnesota, where she attended Minnehaha Academy and won 90 games in four years. In her last season with the team she scored 13 points per game.
Ledford is a native of Buford, Georgia, where she led her team to four Region 8 6A Championships and a 105-13 record in four seasons. She was also ranked the No. 88 player in the country in the 2026 class by 247 Sports.
Story scored 1,753 points in her career at David Crockett High School and Daniel Boone High School. During her senior year, she averaged a double-double with 13.8 points per game, and 10.3 rebounds per game. She is also a member of UTC's Track and Field team.
The 2026-27 Schedule
Chattanooga is playing a 30-game schedule this season, starting on Nov. 2 against UVA Wise. The Mocs have 14 non-conference games on their schedule.
Chattanooga plays six home non-conference games, highlighted by a Nov. 8 game against Florida. Thanksgiving week, Chattanooga goes to Atlanta to take on St. Bonaventure and Georgia State. The Mocs also have a notable away game on Dec. 20 at Alabama.
Conference play starts on Dec. 29 this season, with UTC's first game scheduled against Samford at home. There are 16-games on the conference schedule, two more from last season, with the addition of Tennessee Tech to the SoCon.
2026-27 Chattanooga Basketball Ticket Information | View
Tickets can be purchased online, in-person at the UTC Ticket Office at McKenzie Arena, or by calling the ticket department at (423) 266-6627 (M-F, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. ET). For more information, fans can email the ticketing office at MocsTicketing@utc.edu.
Single-Game Ticket Information
For the latest news and information on Chattanooga Mocs Basketball, visit the official website of Mocs Athletics at GoMocs.com. Fans can also follow the Mocs on social media at @GoMocsWBK (X), @GoMocsWBK (Instagram) and ChattanoogaWomensBasketball (Facebook).
GoMocs.com is the official website of the Chattanooga Mocs. Buy officially licensed gear in our online store. The Mocs can also be followed on their official Facebook page or on Twitter. Find out how to join the UTC Mocs Club and support more than 300 student-athletes by clicking here. NIL opportunities with Chattanooga Mocs student-athletes can be found here.
Coaching Staff
Beginning her third year as Chattanooga Women's Basketball Head Coach is Deandra Schirmer. She holds a 37-26 record and 19-9 SoCon record in the Scenic City. She has one SoCon Regular Season Championship, two SoCon Championship Game appearances, and two National Tournament appearances during her tenure.
Also beginning their third year with the Mocs are Assistant Coaches, Alexis Uffmann, Nicole Heyn, and Mallory Odell. Sydney Johnson rounds out Chattanooga's full-time staff as Assistant Coach after being promoted from Graduate Assistant a year ago. New to the team this year is Grace Pack, who is the team's Graduate Assistant, after concluding her playing career at Western Carolina last season. In a support staff role, Harry Warner (Athletics Performance) and Ariel Beam (Sports Medicine) are in their first years with the Mocs.
2025-26 Recap
Chattanooga went 20-11 and 10-4 in the SoCon to claim a share of the Regular Season Championship. During the season, the Mocs went two months without a defeat, winning 12 consecutive games from Dec. 7-Feb. 7. As the No. 1 seed, UTC defeated Western Carolina and Furman in the SoCon Tournament before falling to Samford in the Championship Game. As a result of their strong regular season, Chattanooga was selected to play in the WBIT for the first time. The Mocs were sent to No. 1 seed, North Dakota State, where they were defeated in the First Round.
Caia Elisaldez was named the SoCon Player of the Year, becoming the first Moc since Taylor Hall in 2014 to win the award. Elisaldez alongside Gianna Corbitt were named First Team All-SoCon while Izzy McPherson was tabbed to the All-Freshman Team. Corbitt also picked up Defensive Team honors. Corbitt and Elisaldez earned All-Tournament Team honors as well.
Who do the Mocs bring back?
Chattanooga returns seven players from last year's team, including four players who made starts in McPherson, Ava Card, Falon Bedke, and Sarah Owona. McPherson is Chattanooga's top returning scorer, averaging 7.3 points per game, while Card was right behind her at 6.4 points per game. McPherson was second on the team in 3-pointers last season with 50 while Card ranked second on the team in rebounds per game with 4.7.
"Izzy's such an unselfish player, she knows this year that she's going to be relied on. And so she's somebody that has to come out, and we talk about shot count. You know, she has to come out firing. And I think she's really excited about that," said Schirmer at SoCon Media Day earlier this month.
"Ava has gone from a freshman, where her eyes are this big, to now she's our leader. And now she's our calming force, and now she's kind of our lighthouse in the storm. And when we're having a tough day, she's the one that sets the tone. Ava's the first to be like, hey guys, we got to pick it up. Hey, this isn't what we're about, and this isn't our standard. So she's been such a leader for us," said Schirmer at SoCon Media Day.
Bedke started all but one game last season at forward and was one of Chattanooga's top defenders. The Idaho native averaged just under 3 points and 3 rebounds a game. Owona was a lethal 3-point shooter for UTC last year, shooting the 3-ball at 39.2%, with 31 triples on the year.
Chattanooga also brings back the sophomore trio of London Weaver, Evie Bruce, and Kami Wilson, who are looking to take that next step after their freshman campaigns.
"I think when you look at a program, we always talk about having depth, and we want to bring in players that we can develop. And I really feel like our sophomore class has a lot to showcase this year. They are ready to go," said Schirmer at SoCon Media Day.
Who did the Mocs lose?
Chattanooga lost its top three scorers from a year ago in Elisadez (17 ppg), Corbitt (15.2 ppg), and Kalifa Ford (7.8 ppg). The Mocs also lost Frode Flos van der Schans (2.9 ppg). In total 66.1% of UTC's scoring from last season will need to be replaced. Corbitt was also UTC's top rebounder at 8.4 rebounds per game.
Transfer Portal Additions
UTC added three players from the transfer portal in Caelan Ellis (Charleston Southern, Guard), TaTianna Stovall (Kennesaw State, Forward), and Gabbie Grooms (Georgia State, Guard).
Ellis is the veteran of the group, as a fifth-year player. She averaged 12.7 points per game and ranked fourth in the Big South in 3-pointers last year with 77 makes.
"We lost a lot of production on the offensive end. So obviously, we had to go to work recruiting. Bringing in someone like Caelan, who scored 13 points a game, that's fantastic for us to add onto our roster to an already established core, and I feel like she's somebody that fits seamlessly into what we're trying to do," said Schirmer at SoCon Media Day.
Stovall comes from just down the road in Cleveland, where she won multiple State Championships at Bradley Central. She is a sophomore, and averaged 6.8 points per game and 5.7 rebounds per game in her freshman year at Kennesaw State. She also set the school record for blocks per game with 1.5.
"I think for anybody who's followed my coaching career and knows the type of player that I like to coach, TaTianna is perfect for that. She's so coachable. She's such a hard worker, and she's so dynamic. She's somebody that can give us production both on the defensive side and on the offensive side," said Schirmer at SoCon Media Day.
Grooms joins the Mocs as a junior, and is the daughter of former WNBA player Lady Grooms. In her sophomore year at Georgia State, Grooms scored 5.3 points per game and brought in 2.7 rebounds per game. She scored a career-high 17 points against Old Dominion last February.
"Gabbie is a huge piece to our portal class. She's somebody who comes in and can play that point guard position and just has a dynamic force to her game. She makes a ton of the right plays," said Schirmer at SoCon Media Day.
Notes on the Freshman
The Mocs have three true freshmen on their roster, recruiting two guards in Sinae Hill and Lydia Ledford, and one post player in Aaliyah Story. Hill comes from Minneapolis, Minnesota, where she attended Minnehaha Academy and won 90 games in four years. In her last season with the team she scored 13 points per game.
Ledford is a native of Buford, Georgia, where she led her team to four Region 8 6A Championships and a 105-13 record in four seasons. She was also ranked the No. 88 player in the country in the 2026 class by 247 Sports.
Story scored 1,753 points in her career at David Crockett High School and Daniel Boone High School. During her senior year, she averaged a double-double with 13.8 points per game, and 10.3 rebounds per game. She is also a member of UTC's Track and Field team.
The 2026-27 Schedule
Chattanooga is playing a 30-game schedule this season, starting on Nov. 2 against UVA Wise. The Mocs have 14 non-conference games on their schedule.
Chattanooga plays six home non-conference games, highlighted by a Nov. 8 game against Florida. Thanksgiving week, Chattanooga goes to Atlanta to take on St. Bonaventure and Georgia State. The Mocs also have a notable away game on Dec. 20 at Alabama.
Conference play starts on Dec. 29 this season, with UTC's first game scheduled against Samford at home. There are 16-games on the conference schedule, two more from last season, with the addition of Tennessee Tech to the SoCon.
2026-27 Chattanooga Basketball Ticket Information | View
Tickets can be purchased online, in-person at the UTC Ticket Office at McKenzie Arena, or by calling the ticket department at (423) 266-6627 (M-F, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. ET). For more information, fans can email the ticketing office at MocsTicketing@utc.edu.
Single-Game Ticket Information
- Fans can save by purchasing in advance and avoid the $3 price increase on day of game purchases.
- For the women's game against Florida, fans will have the option to add an all-inclusive food and beverage hospitality experience through the Mocs Club for just $25 (per person)!
- This will show as an option on the checkout screen when purchasing online.
- Season tickets for the upcoming Chattanooga men's and women's basketball seasons are ON SALE NOW with complete information, details, and ways to purchase located HERE.
- Special "Pick-6" Mini Packs are also ON SALE NOW! The special packs give fans the flexibility to pick the games of their choice while saving costs against purchasing individual game tickets. To purchase, visit HERE.
For the latest news and information on Chattanooga Mocs Basketball, visit the official website of Mocs Athletics at GoMocs.com. Fans can also follow the Mocs on social media at @GoMocsWBK (X), @GoMocsWBK (Instagram) and ChattanoogaWomensBasketball (Facebook).
GoMocs.com is the official website of the Chattanooga Mocs. Buy officially licensed gear in our online store. The Mocs can also be followed on their official Facebook page or on Twitter. Find out how to join the UTC Mocs Club and support more than 300 student-athletes by clicking here. NIL opportunities with Chattanooga Mocs student-athletes can be found here.
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/ Women's BasketballTuesday, September 29
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