Memphis women’s basketball started a new era this off-season when Alex Simmons was named the 13th head coach in the program’s history.
Simmons, who played at the University of Tennessee for the legendary Pat Summit from 2004 to 2009, was part of two national championship teams for the Lady Volunteers during her collegiate career. Now, she looks to replicate this success in her home state as a head coach, this time leading the charge for the Memphis Tigers.
Positive Momentum
Simmons takes over following Katrina Merriweather’s successful two-year run with the Tigers, who left the program to take the same position at the University of Cincinnati.
The saying goes, “Always leave a place better than you found it.” Merriweather did just that, taking over the program following a lowly four-win 2020-21 season and departing after a 22-win 2022-23 season that concluded with a WNIT berth.
Simmons aims to continue this positive momentum for the Tigers’ WBB team, who are coming off the heels of the program’s most successful season in over a decade.
Facing Controversy
The Memphis women’s basketball program has dealt with its fair share of changes this off-season, even beyond the head coaching position.
The leading scorer on last year’s team, fifth-year senior Jamirah Shutes, appeared in court last month after being accused of assault. Shutes pleaded not guilty after punching a Bowling Green player in the post-game handshake line following a WNIT loss that ended the Tigers’ season.
Shutes, who has now exhausted her eligibility for Memphis, averaged 15.3 PPG last season. Coach Simmons looked to replace her scoring load this off-season.
Out With the Old
The roster saw significant turnover this off-season following the departure of Merriweather and the emergence of the NCAA transfer portal as a more sought-after option for athletes looking for better opportunities.
A whopping six players from last year’s roster entered the transfer portal this off-season, headlined by junior guard Emani Jefferson. She was the third-leading scorer for the Tigers and averaged 10.3 PPG while leading the team in assists.
Memphis also saw some movement within its 2023 recruiting class, seeing half of its four-woman signing class de-commit from the program with the departures of post players Imani Morris and Delaney Synder.
In With the New
With these departures and two players exhausting their eligibility, Simmons was forced to go to work to retool a roster that was coming off a very successful season for program standards.
Just recently, she signed a third guard to her recruiting class in sharp-shooting guard Ally Holifield.
In the transfer portal, Simmons was able to add three familiar faces in players who were on her team at Gardner Webb this past season.
Less than two weeks after being hired, Simmons brought in fifth-year senior Ki’Ari Cain. Cain is a 5’6 guard who spent four seasons with the Runnin’ Bulldogs. The addition of Cain brings immediate playmaking juice to the Tigers’ backcourt, as she averaged 10.1 PPG and 4.7 APG for Simmons in the 2022-23 season.
Just one day later, the program announced the addition of junior Layken Cox. The 6’1 post spent two seasons at Gardner Webb with Simmons and had a successful 2022-23 season, averaging 8.0 PPG and 4.6 RPG. Cox adds a physical paint presence to the Memphis roster for the upcoming season.
It didn’t take long for Merriweather’s third and final portal addition (so far) to come into the fold, and it was undoubtedly the most significant one for the Memphis program. Three days later, Simmons was able to add senior Alasia Smith to the roster. Smith, a 5’10 forward, was the Big South’s Defensive Player of the Year for Gardner Webb this past season. The talented veteran averaged 13.5 PPG, 8.8 RPG, and a ridiculous 3.4 SPG for the Runnin’ Bulldogs in 2022-23 and was a Big South’s First-Team All-Conference selection.
The Outlook
After an off-season full of movement in and out of the Memphis program, recently hired Memphis women’s basketball head coach Alex Simmons now has a clearer picture of her roster after a chaotic first month on the job.
The program retains two starters from last year’s team in graduate guard Madison Griggs and junior forward Hannah Riddick. Griggs was the second-leading scorer on last year’s team, averaging 12.3 PPG, and Riddick chipped in 5.4 PPG and 6.6 RPG as the team’s leading rebounder.
Memphis also brings back three solid rotational pieces in senior guard Destyne Jackson (4.3 PPG), sophomore guard Tanyuel Welch (3.8 PPG), and senior forward Shelbee Brown (2.7 PPG).
The additions of Cain, Cox, and Smith from the transfer portal, and Hollifield, Raven Sims (5’9 guard), and Nikole Thomas (5’7 guard) from the high school ranks make for an impressive roster in year one for Alex Simmons.
It will be nearly impossible for Simmons to replicate her former head coach Pat Summit’s success at the University of Memphis. However, after spending six years playing for and learning under the tutelage of Summit at Tennessee, Simmons certainly has the resume and tools necessary to build Memphis into a successful program in the American Athletic Conference.
