Ut Martin Women’s Basketball: A Historical Look

A look at the history of the University of Tennessee at Martin’s women’s basketball team

The Early Years

The University of Tennessee at Martin women’s Basketball team has a long and storied history. The team began play in the early 1970s, and has since amassed a winning record and appeared in several NCAA tournaments. In this article, we take a look at the early years of the UT Martin women’s basketball team

The early years of UT Martin women’s basketball were defined by winning. In the team’s first four seasons of play, they compiled a winning record and qualified for the NCAA tournament three times. The team was led by star players like Jill Payne and Debbie Gray, who would go on to have successful careers in the WNBA.

UT Martin continued to be a force in the NCAA Tournament in the 1980s, making several appearances and reaching the Sweet Sixteen in 1981. The team was led by players like Tonya Edwards, who would go on to have her jersey retired by the school.

The 1990s were a down period for UT Martin women’s basketball, as the team failed to make an NCAA tournament appearance. However, the team rebounded in the 2000s, reaching the tournament several times and even making it to the Sweet Sixteen in 2006. The team has continued to be successful in recent years making several appearances in the NCAA tournament

The Middle Years

From the University’s beginnings in 1900 until the late 1940s, women’s basketball was not an officially sanctioned sport. In spite of this, many women students played on intramural teams and sometimes took on local High School and town teams in competitive matches. According to the university archives, “the first recorded game involving a team from UT Martin occurred in 1918 when a squad from the school took on a team from Union City. The game ended in a 17-17 tie.”

In 1949, things changed for women’s basketball at UT Martin when the sport was officially sanctioned by the university. The first intercollegiate game was played against Murray State on December 3, 1949. Although UT Martin lost that game 73-60, it marked an important milestone for the university and for women’s basketball.

The Modern Era

In the modern ERA the University of Tennessee at Martin women’s Basketball team has been to the NCAA tournament 11 times, with their first appearance coming in 1987. They have advanced to the Sweet Sixteen five times and the Elite Eight three times. The most recent appearance was in 2012, where they lost to eventual National Champion Baylor in the Elite Eight. Coach Bruce Pearl has been at the helm of the team since 2011 and has led them to four NCAA Tournament appearances, including two Sweet Sixteen berths.

The Championships

The University of Tennessee at Martin women’s basketball team has a long and storied history of success. The program has won 3 Ohio Valley conference championships and made 7 appearances in the NCAA Tournament The most recent championship came in 2008, when the team defeated Southeast Missouri State in the conference tournament final. The team has also been runner-up in the conference tournament on 3 occasions, most recently in 2010.

The Rivalries

In the world of college basketball there are certain rivalries that stand out above the rest. The Kentucky-Louisville rivalry is one of the most well-known, as is the North Carolina Duke rivalry. But in the world of women’s college basketball there is one rivalry that has been going on for nearly four decades: the Tennessee-UT Martin rivalry.

This rivalry began in 1977 when Tennessee first played UT Martin in the inaugural season of the Women’s Basketball Invitational Tournament. Since then, these two teams have met a total of 27 times, with Tennessee winning 21 of those meetings. In recent years however, UT Martin has had more success against their rival, winning 5 of the last 7 meetings between the two schools.

One of the things that makes this rivalry so special is the fact that these two teams are located just 90 miles apart from each other. This proximity creates a natural animosity between the two programs and their fans. It also means that there are usually a lot at stake whenever these two teams meet on the court.

Whether it’s for bragging rights or simply to get one up on their rival, both Tennessee and UT Martin always bring their best when they face off against each other. And that is what makes this rivalry so special.

The Players

The University of Tennessee at Martin has a long and storied tradition in women’s basketball. The program has been led by some of the best players to ever don the Skyhawk uniform. Here is a look at some of the best players in UT Martin women’s Basketball History

The Coaches

In 1998, the University of Tennessee at Martin (UTM) hired Tricia Cullop to be its first full-time head women’s basketball coach Cullop was a fresh face in college coaching, having just completed her playing career at Indiana University a few years earlier. She inherited a team that had gone 2-24 the previous season and had only won 5 games in the program’s three-year history. But Cullop quickly turned the team around, leading the Skyhawks to a 13-15 record in her first season. The following year, she guided UTM to a 20-9 mark and its first berth in the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) tournament.

The Fans

Throughout the years, the fans of UT Martin Women’s Basketball have remained some of the most passionate and loyal in all of College Basketball Whether it’s packing the Elam Center for a big game or supporting the team on the road, the fans have always been there for the Skyhawks.

UT Martin has had some of the most successful seasons in program history in recent years and that success has been driven in large part by the support of the fans. The team has regularly sold out home games and had some of the highest attendance numbers in the country. The fans have also been involved in helping to raise money for various charities and causes, such as Breast Cancer research.

It is clear that the UT Martin Women’s Basketball fanbase is one of the best in the country, and they continue to support their team through thick and thin.

The Legacy

For nearly half a century, the University of Tennessee at Martin women’s basketball team has been a staple of excellence in the Ohio Valley Conference The Lady Skyhawks have won a conference-record 20 regular season championships and 15 Conference Tournament titles, appeared in the NCAA Division I Tournament 22 times and made two Sweet Sixteen appearances.

Under the direction of iconic Head Coach Kevin McMillan, UT Martin has produced 31 All-Americans, 78 Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year Award winners and had over 50 student-athletes earn Academic All-America honors. McMillan, who retired in 2017 after 27 seasons at the helm of the program, compiled a 806-264 (.754) overall record, including a 544-128 (.810) mark in OVC play. His 806 career wins rank sixth among active NCAA Division I head coaches and second among all active Division I women’s Basketball Coaches

The Future

The future of UT Martin women’s basketball is shrouded in potential. The team has a core of young talent that will be the foundation for new head coach Anthony Jones to build upon. The team also has a strong recruiting class coming in, which will add even more talent and depth to the roster. With a mix of experienced veterans and promising youngsters, the Skyhawks have the pieces in place to make a run at the conference title and beyond.