UCF introduces new women's basketball coach

A new era begins for the University of Central Florida women's basketball team. The university formerly introduced Sytia Messer as its head coach Tuesday afternoon

ORLANDO, Fla. - A new era begins for the University of Central Florida women's basketball team.

The university formerly introduced Sytia Messer as its head coach Tuesday afternoon.

Messer spent the past season as an associate head coach at Louisiana State University. She is a 22-year coaching veteran, with eight of those years being spent as an assistant at Baylor University.

She helped coach the Bears to a national championship, several NCAA Tournament "Elite Eight" appearances and multiple Associated Press rankings. So Messer knows a thing or two about winning and competing in the Big 12 Conference.

She said this gives her a slight edge as UCF transitions to its new conference.

"I’m familiar with coach Finley. I’m familiar with Regan at TCU and just their style of play. So our transition from that standpoint is an advantage, and I’m looking forward to that.

Messer inherits a UCF team who went 26-4 and won its first NCAA Tournament game in program history.

But she said she's ready to take the Knights to even greater heights.

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