# Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders women's basketball

The Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders women's basketball team represents Middle Tennessee State University in women's basketball. The school competes in the Conference USA in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The Blue Raiders play home basketball games at Murphy Center in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

## History

As of the end of the 2020–21 season, the Blue Raiders have an all-time record of 943–436 in 46 seasons. They are coached by Rick Insell, in his 16th year at MT. They played in the Ohio Valley Conference from 1978 to 2000, the Sun Belt Conference from 2000 to 2013, and Conference USA since 2013.
| Season | Coach | Record | Conference record | Postseason result |
| 1975–76 | Pat Jones | 15–9 | n/a | n/a |
| 1976–77 | Pat Jones | 20–5 | n/a | n/a |
| 1977–78 | Pat Sarver | 15–13 | n/a | n/a |
| 1978–79 | Larry Joe Inman | 14–13 | 6–4 | n/a |
| 1979–80 | Larry Joe Inman | 23–10 | 10–1 | n/a |
| 1980–81 | Larry Joe Inman | 16–13 | 6–3 | n/a |
| 1981–82 | Larry Joe Inman | 20–5 | 9–3 | n/a |
| 1982–83 | Larry Joe Inman | 26–5 | 10–0 | NCAA Second Round |
| 1983–84 | Larry Joe Inman | 19–10 | 12–2 | NCAA First Round |
| 1984–85 | Larry Joe Inman | 23–7 | 13–1 | NCAA First Round |
| 1985–86 | Larry Joe Inman | 20–10 | 13–1 | NCAA Second Round |
| 1986–87 | Jim Davis | 19–8 | 12–2 | n/a |
| 1987–88 | Lewis Bivens | 22–8 | 12–2 | NCAA First Round |
| 1988–89 | Lewis Bivens | 21–6 | 10–2 | n/a |
| 1989–90 | Lewis Bivens | 11–17 | 7–5 | n/a |
| 1990–91 | Lewis Bivens | 14–14 | 8–4 | n/a |
| 1991–92 | Lewis Bivens | 19–9 | 10–4 | n/a |
| 1992–93 | Lewis Bivens | 21–7 | 13–3 | n/a |
| 1993–94 | Lewis Bivens | 21–7 | 11–5 | n/a |
| 1994–95 | Lewis Bivens | 19–9 | 12–4 | n/a |
| 1995–96 | Lewis Bivens | 24–6 | 13–3 | NCAA First Round |
| 1996–97 | Lewis Bivens | 10–20 | 7–11 | n/a |
| 1997–98 | Stephany Smith | 18–12 | 11–7 | NCAA First Round |
| 1998–99 | Stephany Smith | 18–10 | 14–4 | WNIT First Round |
| 1999-00 | Stephany Smith | 18–11 | 11–5 | n/a |
| 2000–01 | Stephany Smith | 17–13 | 9–7 | WNIT First Round |
| 2001–02 | Stephany Smith | 16–13 | 7–7 | n/a |
| 2002–03 | Stephany Smith | 18–12 | 9–5 | n/a |
| 2003–04 | Stephany Smith | 24–8 | 10–4 | NCAA Second Round |
| 2004–05 | Stephany Smith | 24–9 | 11–3 | NCAA Second Round |
| 2005–06 | Rick Insell | 20–11 | 10–4 | NCAA First Round |
| 2006–07 | Rick Insell | 30–4 | 18–0 | NCAA Second Round |
| 2007–08 | Rick Insell | 22–12 | 14–4 | WNIT second round |
| 2008–09 | Rick Insell | 28–6 | 17–1 | NCAA First Round |
| 2009–10 | Rick Insell | 25–6 | 17–1 | NCAA First Round |
| 2010–11 | Rick Insell | 23–8 | 14–2 | NCAA First Round |
| 2011–12 | Rick Insell | 26–7 | 16–0 | NCAA First Round |
| 2012–13 | Rick Insell | 25–8 | 17–3 | NCAA First Round |
| 2013–14 | Rick Insell | 29–5 | 15–1 | NCAA First Round |
| 2014–15 | Rick Insell | 24–10 | 14–4 | WNIT Quarterfinals |
| 2015–16 | Rick Insell | 24–9 | 15–3 | NCAA First Round |
| 2016–17 | Rick Insell | 23–11 | 15–3 | WNIT third round |
| 2017–18 | Rick Insell | 18–12 | 10–6 | WNIT first round |
| 2018–19 | Rick Insell | 23–11 | 11–5 | WNIT second round |
| 2019–20 | Rick Insell | 21–9 | 13–5 | n/a |
| 2020–21 | Rick Insell | 17–8 | 12–4 | NCAA First Round |
| 2021–22 | Rick Insell | 27–8 | 14–4 | WNIT semifinals |
| 2022–23 | Rick Insell | 28–5 | 18–2 | NCAA First Round |
| 2023–24 | Rick Insell | 30–5 | 16–0 | NCAA Second Round |

## NCAA tournament results

| Year | Seed | Round | Opponent | Result |
| 1983 | #9 | Opening Round First Round | #8 Jackson State #1 Louisiana Tech | W 64–61 L 59–91 |
| 1984 | #6 | First Round | #3 Georgia | L 52–70 |
| 1985 | #5 | First Round | #4 Western Kentucky | L 83–90 |
| 1986 | #10 | First Round Second Round | #7 South Carolina #2 LSU | W 78–77 L 65–78 |
| 1988 | #10 | First Round | #7 Kansas | L 75–81 |
| 1996 | #13 | First Round | #4 Kansas | L 57–72 |
| 1998 | #15 | First Round | #2 Duke | L 67–92 |
| 2004 | #13 | First Round Second Round | #4 North Carolina #5 Notre Dame | W 67–62 L 46–59 |
| 2005 | #12 | First Round Second Round | #5 NC State #4 Texas Tech | W 60–58 L 69–80 |
| 2006 | #12 | First Round | #5 Utah | L 71–76 |
| 2007 | #5 | First Round Second Round | #12 Gonzaga #13 Marist | W 85–46 L 59–73 |
| 2009 | #8 | First Round | #9 Michigan State | L 59–60 |
| 2010 | #10 | First Round | #7 Mississippi State | L 64–68 |
| 2011 | #11 | First Round | #6 Georgia | L 41–56 |
| 2012 | #10 | First Round | #7 Vanderbilt | L 46–60 |
| 2013 | #12 | First Round | #5 Louisville | L 49–74 |
| 2014 | #8 | First Round | #9 Oregon State | L 36–55 |
| 2016 | #12 | First Round | #5 Florida State | L 55–72 |
| 2021 | #14 | First Round | #3 Tennessee | L 62–87 |
| 2023 | #11 | First Round | #6 Colorado | L 60–82 |
| 2024 | #11 | First Round Second Round | #6 Louisville #3 LSU | W 71–69 L 58–83 |

## Notable players

* Alysha Clark (born 1987), American-Israeli basketball player for the Israeli team Elitzur Ramla and the Las Vegas Aces of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)