Sytia Messer had a goal to become an NCAA Division I women’s basketball coach by the time she was 30 years old, and she managed to achieve that dream at age 29. The journey wasn’t an easy one, though. Messer was named head coach of the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles women’s basketball team just months after graduating from Miami University with her bachelor’s degree in sports management in 2006. Sytia Messer Coaching Journey
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Early life and playing career Sytia Messer Coaching Journey
Sytia Messer was born on May 25, 1979 in Charleston, West Virginia. She graduated from Robert C. Byrd High School in 1997 where she was a standout basketball player for all four years and also participated in volleyball and track. In 1997, she was named West Virginia Gatorade Player of the Year as well as Miss Basketball.
Coaching Career
She started her coaching career in 1997 when she was hired as an assistant coach at Vanderbilt University. In 2003, she was named an assistant coach at Florida State University. Prior to coming to Tennessee Tech, she served as a recruiting coordinator for Duke University head coach Joanne P.
Head Coach at UCF
Sytia Messer is in her second season as head coach of UCF women’s basketball, where she has led her team to a 6-21 record. During that time, she set school records for most wins by a first-year head coach and most wins overall in their first two seasons. She has improved on last year’s record by four games with more than half of last year’s players returning.
Final Thoughts Sytia Messer Coaching Journey
Messer said she does not put any extra pressure on herself to win championships or awards. She wants her team to improve each season and be tough at all times in games. One of her goals is to earn a trip to an NCAA tournament before she retires.
sytia messer salary Sytia Messer Coaching Journey
As a newly hired head coach, not only does Sytia have to learn how to recruit in-state talent and run practices, but she also has to learn how to manage a budget. A head women’s basketball coach at an FBS school like UCF earns between $175,000 and $375,000 per year.
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