Cullowhee, N.C. – Western Carolina women's basketball and head coach Jonathan Tsipis are shuffling the coaching staff heading into the summer, as assistant coach Sydney Lowery has been named the program's recruiting coordinator. 

The longest-tenured member of Tsipis' staff in Cullowhee, Lowery is entering year three as a member of the Catamounts and her first full season as the team's recruiting coordinator. She played an instrumental role in securing the team's first two full classes.

With Lowery's assistance, the Catamounts effectively utilized the transfer portal, bringing in immediate contributors such as 2024-25 first-team All-Southern Conference honoree AC Carter and last season's College Sports Communicator (CSC) Academic All-District selection, Ally Hollifield. The Catamounts have also seen sizable efforts from transfers Grace Pack, Ary Dizon, Betsey Burnett, and Joyce Mulumba as well, with the quartet combining for nearly 40% of WCU's point production and rebounds a year ago.

The Catamounts have scouted efficiently from the freshman ranks as well, with Liberty, N.C., product Tina Bowers and Justice Zimmerman from Chapel Hill playing in all 29 games last season and combining for 1,010 minutes of game action. Bowers started 17 games for the Catamounts a year ago and ranks second on the team in returning minutes, with Zimmerman at third.

Additionally, freshman Ellie Richardson was set to be a year-long contributor for the Catamounts, earning the starting nod in her first three games of the 2025-26 campaign before suffering a season-ending injury against Campbell.  

WCU hit the high school ranks to build the foundation of the 2026 recruiting class, inking Hannah Moss (Charlotte, N.C.), My'Asia Young (Charlotte, N.C.), Camri Hobbs (Charlotte, N.C.), and Ava Jarrett (Nashville, Tenn.). The freshman quartet is set to join a roster consisting of 2025-26 returners Ally Hollifield, Tina Bowers, Justice Zimmerman, Riley Price, and Ellie Fyans, as well as transfer newcomers Kate Hollifield and Kayla Mount.