Big 12 women's hoops coaches talk TCU

It will take the TCU women’s basketball team no time to renew rivalries now that the team plays under the banner of the Big 12. 

Most of the Big 12 teams are very familiar with TCU’s squad under head coach Jeff Mittie from nonconference and tournament games in recent years. So, opposing coaches were not a loss for words talking about what TCU’s addition does for the conference.

TCU was fresh on the mind of Oklahoma head coach Sherri Coale, the only Big 12 team TCU played last season in a 82-54 OU win.

“We've had a nice rivalry with TCU, just because we've tried to play home at home with them in our preconference schedule, because we love playing in the Dallas‑Fort Worth area,” Oklahoma coach Sherri Coale said. “Jeff [Mittie] does a tremendous job with his kids, and they always find a way to find themselves in the NCAA Tournament at the end of the year.”

The defending coach of the year, Baylor’s Kim Mulkey, also issued high praise of both TCU and newcomer West Virginia. 

“I'm excited because in women's basketball those two programs bring credibility, and they bring great coaches and great players,” Mulkey said.

Other TCU quotes:

“With TCU, you bring a great tradition of success,” Kansas State coach Deb Patterson said. “Coach Mittie has done so much over the years in that program in qualifying that team for the NCAA Tournament, and putting them into experiences and readying that team that's built, by and large around Texas student‑athletes.”

“[Mittie is] creative. I've got great respect for what he does,” Kansas coach Bonnie Hendrickson said. “He doesn't have to be the same thing every year. He tweaks it enough to who he has in his program, and to give them a chance to be successful.”