Straight Outta WAC

Second-year head coach Bill Brock believes the Texans will be much better in 2024-25. There is experience, size, and now a full offseason to get even more comfortable in Stephenville.

Faith Aker, among others, is back. And with the finish to the 2023-24 season, Brock believes there is momentum brewing for his Texan squad.

Brock also discusses his family and their importance in his coaching career. Plus, there is also an interesting perspective on the conference schedule. Give it a listen.

#WAChoops

After setting a new standard for wins by a first-year head coach at Utah Valley, Todd Phillips is back for year two.

The Wolverines have a little more depth than in 2023-24, plus more shooters on the floor.

In an ever-changing transfer portal where guys come and go, especially at the mid-major level, Phillips and his staff do the best they can with the resources they have in order to be competitive in the WAC.

#ValleyForged #WAChoops

Utah Valley head coach Dan Nielson jumped on the podcast last week to talk about the Wolverines.

Nielson returns quite a handful of his roster from 2023-24. Ally Criddle, Tessa Chaney, Tahlia White, Kylee Mabry, and Amanda Barcello just to name a few.

The Wolverines have size, and some athleticism in the backcourt, which could help Nielson’s crew have a bounce back year in Orem.

#WAChoops #ValleyForged

The Utah Tech Trailblazers are finally eligible for the NCAA Tournament. It has been a long four years. However, there is excitement in St. George. And who better to tell us why than head coach Jon Judkins.

Noa Gonsalves and Beon Riley are back, among a handful of others. There are a lot of new faces, but Judkins says he loves the toughness of his team.

Can that help the Trailblazers compete in the WAC in 2024-25? Utah Tech has pulled upsets over the last four years. But, the Trailblazers have finished middle of the pack, or lower in each of those four years, as well.

Juddy has been at Utah Tech for a few decades now. And with a non-conference schedule that is top-loaded with road games, and bottom-loaded with home games, it should be an interested first two months for the Trailblazers.

#WAChoops #UtahTechBlazers

Experience is a key to success. And Seattle U women’s basketball head coach Skyler Young has brought in some experience from the transfer portal.

Tai Kozlova is one of those veterans with Division I experience. The Moscow, Russia native has played at both Maryland and Dayton, and not prepares for her final season of college basketball in a Seattle U Redhawk uniform.

Kozlova is part of a team with more length, and more athleticism that Skyler Young and his staff brought in over the Summer.

Give it a listen as Kozlova talks about the relationship that was established with her head coach as a big reason why she is in the Emerald City.

#WAChoops #TogetherWeSoar

Skyler Young enters his second season as the head coach of the Seattle U women’s basketball team. And with a bunch of new faces, there is some excitement in the Emerald City.

Young talks about the roster build, and how it is ready to compete in a WAC that is loaded with talent. Athleticism, size, and the ability to play multiple styles of basketball are what Young and his staff were after during the offseason.

It is the final run in the WAC for the Redhawks, and the goal is to get back to the WAC Tournament after missing out in 2023-24.

#WAChoops #TogetherWeSoar

Having a player stay at a school their entire collegiate career is a rarity these days.

However, Seattle U forward Kobe Williamson is gonna do just that. Williamson is in his fifth, and final year of college basketball. All five years, Williamson will have been in a Redhawk uniform.

A share of a WAC regular season title, three straight 20-win seasons, and a CBI title.

Now, Williamson, who is getting his degree in biochemistry, wants to go out with a bang.

#WAChoops #TogetherWeSoar

After dealing with a plethora of injuries in 2023-24, Utah Tech is hoping to keep everyone healthy.

Macie and Madie Warren each suffered a torn ACL to end their season prematurely. Emily Isaacson also tore her ACL early in 2023-24. Kastyn Young never played a minute due to a torn hip labrum.

And so it went.

But, despite losing two of the greatest Trailblazers of all time in Maggie McCord and Breaunna Gillen, JD Gustin is excited for what the future holds.

#WAChoops #UtahTechBlazers

Seattle U head coach Chris Victor is excited about where the Redhawk program is, and where it is going.

The Redhawks are coming off another 20-plus win season, and a CBI championship.

But, Seattle U will have to replace sharpshooter Cam Tyson, dynamic floor general Alex Schumacher, and the motor of Seyi Reiley.

With Kobe Williamson, Paris Dawson and a handful of others, plus some experienced newcomers, Seattle U could make noise once again in the final year in the WAC.

#WAChoops #TogetherWeSoar

In his first head coaching gig, KT Turner led the UT Arlington Mavericks to 20 wins, an appearance in the conference tournament championship game, and made believers out of Maverick fans.

Now, with a whole new roster heading into his second season, what will the Mavericks and Turner do for an encore?

Listen in as the head coach talks about the challenges of rebuilding a roster, and much more in this episode of the Straight Outta WAC podcast.

#WAChoops #BuckEm