Postgame Quotes
Chattanooga 69, Wofford 61
Chattanooga, Tenn. | McKenzie Arena
Saturday, March 1, 2025
 
Deandra Schirmer, head coach
Opening Statement
"It's not who you are in times of calmness, but how you are in times of struggle and strife, and so for us to be able to have a challenging season and stay the course and buy in to what we're doing, listen to crazy coach when she's telling us different things. I just feel so humbled to be able to coach this group every single day with how much they have shown with perseverance; how much they've shown with just character." 

On how weird of a year it's been for the team.
"There's a saying in coaching: don't get too high and don't get too low. I think that being a veteran head coach really helped me this year because I've seen a lot of it, you know. If this would have been my first year as a head coach it would have probably taken me out. But I think that in those moments when you are going through adversity, we talked about how you've gotta find your lighthouse. You've gotta find your pillars. You've gotta find the people that you're going to and we talked about leaning into each other and being that lighthouse for each other and I think that it was a lot of trust building." 

On joining the program and having the seniors buy-in for her first year.
"Knowing that our seniors were really the heart and soul of our team, it was really important to develop those relationships early. We had senior meetings where we talked about, hey is this working is this not what's our feedback, just trying to get the pulse of the team. I think that from the beginning it was a priority of mine to know this team and to let this team know that we are going to give them everything we've got and we're coming for a championship... I made a promise to them. I said we're gonna fight with everything we have to get back to that championship level and I wanted them to know that I'm giving it and our staff is giving it everything we've got because they deserve that. They've been through everything." 

Caia Elisaldez, So., G
On her playing on another level in the second half.
"I think when I got my third (foul) in the second quarter, it really got to me at half cause I wanna do everything I can to help my team. I think coming into the third quarter, I'm gonna be honest, the only thing going through my mind was 'go'. I have to go. In order for us to score, in order for us to win I need to go and I need to be aggressive and that's gonna open up things or everyone else."

Karsen Murphy, Sr., G/F
On her connecting on the late three-pointer for the Mocs.
"I'm gonna be honest with you, when I shot that I thought it was another airball because I really just chucked it up there and said 'oh that's too much arm' and then it went in. I can't even describe that feeling really because making that three on my home court in my last home game; it couldn't mean more to me. It's one of those 'thank you God for bringing me here and thank you for my teammates' moments. There was definitely a moment of gratitude in that moment just for making that three, so it was special for sure."

On her time at Chattanooga.
"I can't even put into words how thankful I am to be here. It was hard, lots of adversity, lots of growth and having to adapt to new systems every year. I am just so thankful and it's the people here I will remember the most. This one right here (Pointing at Elisaldez) means everything to me and I'm just really thankful for sure."