College basketball team
Memphis Tigers University University of Memphis First season 1914 All-time record 680–503 (.575) Head coach Alex Simmons (2nd season)Conference The American Location Memphis, Tennessee Arena Elma Roane Fieldhouse (capacity: 2,565)Nickname Tigers Student section Blue Crew Colors Blue and gray[ 1]
1982 1982, 1985, 1987, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998 1982, 1985 (Metro ) 1996, 1998 (C-USA )
The Memphis Tigers women's basketball team represents the University of Memphis in NCAA Division I women's college basketball . The Tigers compete in the American Athletic Conference . They previously competed in Conference USA in which they have won two Conference USA conference tournament championships and, prior to that two Metro Conference tournament championships. They play home games at the Elma Roane Fieldhouse and FedExForum .
History
The first inter-school game of the Memphis Tigers (then West Tennessee State Normal School) was a 24–0 win over Whitehaven High School in 1914. The University dropped women's athletics in 1936 and did not return women's athletics to varsity sport status until the 1972–73 season.[ 2]
The team has competed in the NCAA tournament seven times.,[ 3] the WNIT five times,[ 4] the National Women's Invitational tournament one time[ 4] and the Women's Basketball Invitational one time.[ 4]
Jamirah Shutes, a senior guard on the 2022–23 Memphis women’s basketball team, initially pled not guilty to an assault charge after she was accused of punching a Bowling Green player in the face following the Memphis Tigers' loss in the Women’s National Invitational Tournament (WNIT) on March 24, 2023, officials confirmed. She later changed her plea and was found guilty and her sentence included anger management. [ 5]
Head coaches
Memphis coaching history
Tenure
Coach
Seasons
Record
Pct.
1919–1922
Martha Teuton
3
38–5–1
.875
1922–1923
W. H. Depriest
1
11–8
.579
1923–1924
Crowley Davis
1
4–4
.500
1924–1927
Leo Lindsey
3
32–8–1
.793
1929–1935
Ethel Blackman
8
57–29–2
.659
1972–1991
Mary Lou Johns
19
368–215
.631
1991–2004
Joye Lee-McNelis
13
229–156
.595
2004–2008
Blair Savage-Lansden
4
30–88
.254
2008–2021
Melissa McFerrin
13
140–116
.547
2021–2023
Katrina Merriweather
2
38–23
.623
2023–
Alex Simmons
1
–
–
Year by year results
TCWSF —Tennessee College Women's Sports Federation
—Conference tournament winners
Source[ 6]
Season
Team
Overall
Conference
Standing
Postseason
Coaches' poll
AP poll
Mary Lou Johns (Independent, Metro) (1972–1991)
1972–73
Mary Lou Johns
17–6
–
1973–74
Mary Lou Johns
23–9
–
1974–75
Mary Lou Johns
29–9
–
1975–76
Mary Lou Johns
19–8
–
1976–77
Mary Lou Johns
27–9
–
1977–78
Mary Lou Johns
29–9
–
Region II Tournament
1978–79
Mary Lou Johns
26–7
–
TCWSF
1979–80
Mary Lou Johns
19–12
–
TCWSF
1980–81
Mary Lou Johns
20–11
–
TCWSF
Metro Conference
1981–82
Mary Lou Johns
26–5
6–1
‡ (Metro)
NCAA Sixteen
1982–83
Mary Lou Johns
20–12
6–3
NWIT Second Place
1983–84
Mary Lou Johns
18–12
9–1
1984–85
Mary Lou Johns
23–7
9–1
‡
NCAA First Round
1985–86
Mary Lou Johns
16–12
7–1
1986–87
Mary Lou Johns
20–9
10–2
NCAA Second Round (Bye)
1987–88
Mary Lou Johns
15–15
7–5
1988–89
Mary Lou Johns
9–19
2–11
1989–90
Mary Lou Johns
6–22
3–11
1990–91
Mary Lou Johns
6–22
4–10
Mary Lou Johns:
368–215
63–46
Great Midwest Conference
Joye Lee-McNelis (Great Midwest, Conference USA) (1992–2005)
1991–92
Joye Lee-McNelis
12–17
4–6
(Great Midwest)
1992–93
Joye Lee-McNelis
12–16
3–7
1993–94
Joye Lee-McNelis
17–12
8–5
1994–95
Joye Lee-McNelis
22–8
9–2
NCAA Second Round
Conference USA ‡
1995–96
Joye Lee-McNelis
20–11
10–4
1st‡ (White) (CUSA)
NCAA First Round
1996–97
Joye Lee-McNelis
22–7
12–2
T-1st (White)
NCAA First Round
1997–98
Joye Lee-McNelis
22–8
13–3
1st‡ (National)
NCAA First Round
1998–99
Joye Lee-McNelis
22–10
10–6
2nd (National)
WNIT Semifinals
1999–2000
Joye Lee-McNelis
18–12
11–5
2nd (National)
WNIT Second Round
2000–01
Joye Lee-McNelis
17–13
9–7
4th (National)
WNIT First Round
2001–02
Joye Lee-McNelis
11–17
5–9
10th
2002–03
Joye Lee-McNelis
13–15
6–8
T-7th
2003–04
Joye Lee-McNelis
21–10
9–5
T-5th
WNIT Second Round
Joye Lee-McNelis:
229–156
109–69
Blair Savage-Lansden (Conference USA) (2004–2008)
2004–05
Blair Savage-Lansden
13–16
5–9
9th
2005–06
Blair Savage-Lansden
3–25
1–15
12th
2006–07
Blair Savage-Lansden
4–27
1–15
12th
2007–08
Blair Savage-Lansden
10–20
7–9
T-6th
Blair Savage-Lansden:
30–88
14–48
Melissa McFerrin (Conference USA, American) (2008–2021)
2008–09
Melissa McFerrin
12–18
5–11
T-9th (CUSA)
2009–10
Melissa McFerrin
20–14
10–6
T-2nd
WBI Finals
2010–11
Melissa McFerrin
20–13
8–8
6th
WNIT First Round
2011–12
Melissa McFerrin
25–8
13–3
2nd
WNIT Second Round
2012–13
Melissa McFerrin
17–15
8–8
T-5th
WNIT First Round
American Athletic Conference
2013–14
Melissa McFerrin
13–18
6–12
7th
2014–15
Melissa McFerrin
14–17
7–11
7th
2015–16
Melissa McFerrin
18–13
12–6
4th
WNIT First Round
2016–17
Melissa McFerrin
14–16
7–9
T-5th
2017–18
Melissa McFerrin
10–20
5–11
t-8th
2018–19
Melissa McFerrin
11–20
5–11
T-8th
2019–20
Melissa McFerrin
14–17
5–11
11th
2020–21
Melissa McFerrin
4–15
2–11
10th
Melissa McFerrin:
164–152
81–85
Katrina Merriweather (American) (2021–2023)
2021–22
Katrina Merriweather
16–12
6–9
7th
2022–23
Katrina Merriweather
22–11
11–4
2nd
WNIT Super Sixteen
Katrina Merriweather:
38–23
17–13
Alex Simmons (American) (2023–present)
2023–24
Alex Simmons
Total:
757–564
National champion
Postseason invitational champion
Conference regular season champion
Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
Division regular season champion
Division regular season and conference tournament champion
Conference tournament champion
NCAA tournament results
Memphis has reached the NCAA tournament seven times, six officially, due to them vacating their participation in the 1985 tournament due to violations. They have a combined record of 2–7.
Year
Seed
Round
Opponent
Result
1982
#3
First Round Sweet Sixteen
#6 Ole Miss #2 Tennessee
W 72–70 L 63–78
1985
#6
First Round
#3 Auburn
L 64–82
1987
#6
Second Round
#3 Virginia
L 75–76
1995
#8
First Round Second Round
#9 USC #8 Vanderbilt
W 74–72 L 68–95
1996
#8
First Round
#9 Ohio State
L 75–97
1997
#11
First Round
#6 Notre Dame
L 62–93
1998
#5
First Round
#12 Youngstown State
L 80–91
See also
References
External links
Venues Rivalries Culture & lore People Seasons
Teams Championships & awards Seasons
Academics Athletics Journals Life
Founded : 1912
Students : 20,585
Endowment : 199 million