Card and McPherson Lead Renewed Chattanooga Roster
Juniors Ava Card and Izzy McPherson anchor the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga women's basketball team this season.
Updated on Oct. 31, 2026 in Basketball
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Juniors Ava Card and Izzy McPherson now lead the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga women's basketball team following a major roster overhaul. The team is entering the 2026-2027 season under the guidance of head coach Deandra Schirmer.
Why it matters
The program requires consistent leadership from veteran players as it navigates significant roster turnover. The team aims to maintain its competitive edge and reach the conference championship game for the third consecutive year.
Coach Deandra Schirmer enters her third season leading the program, while Ava Card remains the only player on the roster who participated in the last two Southern Conference championship games.
The players
Ava Card
She is a junior guard who serves as a primary leader for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and holds the distinction of playing in two consecutive league championship games.
Izzy McPherson
She is a junior player on the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga women's basketball roster tasked with helping anchor the team during this transition period.
Deandra Schirmer
She is the head coach entering her third season with the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, responsible for overseeing the current roster reconstruction.
Shawn Poppie
He is the former head coach who led the Mocs to two Southern Conference championships before departing to coach at Clemson.
The details
The coaching staff successfully rebuilt the team around the core leadership of Card and McPherson following the departure of former head coach Shawn Poppie. Poppie, who guided the Mocs to two straight Southern Conference titles and a 48-18 record, left to take a coaching position at Clemson.
Timeline
Shawn Poppie coached the UTC Mocs from 2022 to 2024.
Card and McPherson enter their third season during the 2026-2027 season.
Season Trajectory
The team's reliance on veteran leadership aims to extend a pattern established by the previous Southern Conference championship game appearances. This roster rebuild directly tests the program's ability to remain a conference contender despite significant personnel turnover.
With Card being the only remaining player from the previous two title runs, the team's defensive and offensive chemistry will rely heavily on her court experience. Her leadership is the primary factor in maintaining the program's historical competitiveness within the conference standings.
The takeaway
Maintaining program consistency relies on the effective integration of new recruits alongside established veteran leaders. Teams that successfully navigate high turnover often look to players like Card and McPherson to maintain their historical identity.
Further reading
For more on the current outlook for local college squads, visit the Basketball page.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Timesfreepress.
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