2 0 0 9 -10 T C U W O M E N ’ S B A S K E T B A L L
H E A D C O A C H j E F F M IT TI E the year (also North Carolina, Stanford and Texas A&M), with two victories
Helen Roden and Adrianne Ross helped the Frogs rack up 111 victories, the
against teams that were ranked No. 3 or higher in at least one of the two
second-most wins over a five-year period in program history. Ross (second
national polls at the time of the game.
team) and Butler-Rayford (third team) each concluded their careers with
Helping push the Frogs back to the NCAA Tournament was a team
all-conference honors, while newcomer Helena Sverrisdottir provided TCU
season shooting performance that ranked among the best in program
with promise for future seasons by taking home MWC Freshman of the Year
history. Mittie’s squad set a team record for free-throw percentage (77.9
honors.
percent) while adding top-5 seasons for both 3-point field goals made (207)
Following the season, Ross earned a spot on the opening day roster of
and percentage (36.7). Ball handling was another strength, as the team’s 425
the WNBA’s San Antonio Silver Stars and joined former Lady Frog Sandora
turnovers shattered the previous season-low total by nearly 70 miscues.
Irvin as the only TCU players to reach the WNBA.
TCU’s performance in 2008-09 set the foundation for future success,
the school record for home wins previously set a year earlier with 15
Included among the returnees are each of the team’s three all-conference
victories. The Lady Frogs are 53-9 (.855) during the last four seasons at
performers—first teamer Helena Sverrisdottir and second teamers Emily
Daniel-Meyer Coliseum and 129-28 (.822) overall during Mittie’s nine
Carter and TK LaFleur. The Frogs set a program high by placing each of the
seasons on campus. Included in the run was a 19-game winning streak that
three among the top-two all-league squads. LaFleur, who led the MWC in
stretched from Jan. 25, 2006 until Feb. 22, 2007.
3-point field-goal percentage, was named the league Newcomer of the Year,
M it ti e ’ s C o a C h i n g h o n o r s 1993-94 – MIAA Coach of the Year MIAA Regular-Season Championship 1994-95 – MIAA Coach of the Year MIAA Regular-Season Championship MIAA Tournament Championship 2000-01 – WAC Coach of the Year WAC Regular-Season Championship WAC Tournament Championship 2001-02 – C-USA Coach of the Year C-USA Regular-Season Championship 2002-03 – C-USA Tournament Championship 2004-05 – C-USA Tournament Championship
58
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8 NCAA TOURNAMENT BIDS IN 9 YEARS
TCU also continued the recent dominance of its home floor by matching
as the top five scorers and top seven rebounders return for 2009-10.
During the 2006-07 season, the Lady Frogs finished 21-11 overall, earning
while Sverrisdottir was the only player ranked among the league’s top-7
their sixth 20-win season in seven years. In their second season in the MWC,
players in scoring (No. 3), rebounding (No. 6), assists (No. 2) and steals (No.
the Lady Frogs tied for second with an 11-5 league record and earned a No.
7).
10 seed in the NCAA Tournament. TCU earned its eighth straight postseason berth, and first Women’s
In the NCAA Tournament, the Frogs traveled to Hartford, Conn., where
National Invitational Tournament appearance, in 2007-08 after Mittie led the
they lost to tournament Cinderella Ole Miss in the first round. The Rebels
squad to its highest finish in three seasons as a member of the Mountain
went on to advance to the Elite 8 before falling to eventual national
West Conference. The Lady Frogs rallied from a 5-7 start to the season and
champion Tennessee.
at one point won 11 of 12 games on their way to a 23-12 campaign. In
Individually, Ross recorded one of the finest seasons ever for a Lady Frog
addition to finishing runner-up to undefeated Utah in the MWC standings,
during her junior campaign. In addition to being named Co-Player of the
the squad tied a single-season program record for conference victories with
Year and earning First Team All-MWC honors, Ross became just the second
a 13-3 league record.
player in school history and second under Mittie to earn All-America honors.
The season marked one of several firsts for TCU. Not only did Mittie’s
Ross was named to the Associated Press Honorable Mention All-America
squad post the program’s first-ever win in five trips to New Mexico, it also
Team, joining former Lady Frog Sandora Irvin as the only All-Americans in
ended one of college basketball’s longest losing streaks to a single team
school history. Ross was also a WBCA/Kodak All-America finalist.
during its second-round WNIT win over former Southwest Conference
In 2005-06 Mittie guided his young team to a 19-12 overall record during
rival Texas Tech in Lubbock, Texas. The victory, the 500th game in Mittie’s
its inaugural season in the Mountain West Conference. TCU ended league
coaching career, was the Frogs’ first win in 38 all-time matchups against the
play with an 11-5 mark and a third-place finish. Despite playing one of
Lady Raiders, although it was only the second matchup with Tech in the
the toughest schedules in the country that featured 12 top-25 teams, the
Mittie era.
Lady Frogs advanced to their sixth-straight NCAA Tournament appearance.
The 2007-08 season signified the end of the line for one of TCU’s most
On March 20, 2006, Mittie led his team to an instrumental victory as the
successful senior classes. Lorie Butler-Rayford, Moneka Knight, Jenna Lohse,
Frogs knocked-off No. 20 Texas A&M in the opening round of the NCAA
2001 • 2002 • 2003 • 2004 • 2005 • 2006 • 2007 • 2009