University Of Texas At Arlington Women's Basketball
The University of Texas at Arlington women’s basketball team is one of the most decorated teams in the school’s history. The team, which competes in the Sun Belt Conference, has been competing since 1974, and has won numerous conference championships and appeared in the NCAA tournament multiple times.
History of UTA Women’s Basketball
The women’s basketball program at UTA started in 1974 under head coach Barbara Walker. The Lady Mavericks played in the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) until the organization was disbanded in 1982. The team then started competing in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). In 1992, the Lady Mavericks won their first Southland Conference championship.
Under head coach Sam Houston, the team had a successful stint, winning three Southland Conference championships and making appearances in the NCAA tournament in 1997, 1998, and 1999.>p>
In 2010, Krista Gerlich was hired as the head coach. Gerlich, who had played at Texas Tech and won a national championship in 1993, brought a new level of success to the program. Under Gerlich, the Lady Mavericks won two regular-season championships and two conference tournament championships in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC). In 2019, the team moved to the Sun Belt Conference.
Recent Performances of UTA Women’s Basketball
In the 2019-2020 season, the Lady Mavericks finished with a 17-13 overall record and a 10-8 conference record. The team made it to the semifinals of the Sun Belt Conference Tournament, but lost to Troy University. Despite not making it to the NCAA tournament, the team had a successful season and showed promise for future years.
The 2020-2021 season was a unique one due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Lady Mavericks had to deal with multiple game cancellations and postponements, but they still managed to finish with a 13-12 overall record and a 9-8 conference record. The team made it to the quarterfinals of the Sun Belt Conference Tournament before losing to Arkansas State.
Players to Watch
The Lady Mavericks have had many talented players throughout their history. Some of the players to watch in recent years include:
- Marie Benson - Benson was a dominant center for UTA from 2005-2009. She was a two-time Southland Conference Player of the Year and finished her career with 1,410 points and 710 rebounds.
- Rebekah Van Dijk - Van Dijk played for UTA from 2014-2018. She was a two-time First-Team All-WAC selection and finished her career with 1,282 points, 1,040 rebounds, and 227 blocks.
- Lauren Billie - Billie played for UTA from 2017-2021. She was a two-time Second-Team All-Sun Belt selection and finished her career with 1,032 points and 462 rebounds.
Future of UTA Women’s Basketball
The Lady Mavericks have a bright future ahead of them. Under head coach Krista Gerlich, the team has shown steady improvement over the past few years. The team has a talented roster and is expected to compete for a conference championship in the near future.
UTA also recently hired a new athletic director, Jim Baker, who has a strong background in women’s basketball. Baker served as the president of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association from 2003-2005 and was also the athletic director at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, where he oversaw a successful women’s basketball program.
The combination of Gerlich’s coaching and Baker’s leadership could lead to a new era of success for UTA women’s basketball.