INDIANAPOLIS - The first year of a new coaching era is set to launch as Chad Hibdon's time in Nashville has arrived.
Hibdon succeeds TNU's winningest coach in Gary Van Atta, who had established the Trojans among the league's best after winning almost 60 percent of his games since TNU joined the G-MAC for the 2012-13 season.
Hibdon joined Trevecca Nazarene after one year at Truett-McConnell College (GA) and understands the process that lies ahead. Hibdon's career footprint has already taken a turn through the Volunteer State when he was the coach at Blackman High School with resounding success for a decade.
"First and foremost, you try to connect with your team and your players and obviously have a connection with your recruits," Hibdon said. "And during that process, it's the organizational things that take up a lot of time. It's a balance; you have to have a plan and be organized so that you're accomplishing both of those so when you get to the preseason, it's all about the preseason with some team bonding and some team unity."
"I've done this a few times in my career and I'm not afraid to get my hands dirty," he added. "It's a lot of work, but with the work comes a lot of reward."
Last year's Trevecca Nazarene program went 9-17 and 7-7 in the conference schedule. The Trojans also won their quarterfinal game in the conference tournament before falling in the semis against eventual league champ Ursuline. TNU also enters this year ranked fourth in the preseason coaches poll.
The composition of Hibdon's roster is balanced with four seniors, two juniors, five sophomores and five freshmen.
Still, the biggest question for Hibdon is what does this team look like, and the answer will become more clear once the season gets underway.
The Trojans graduated three seniors, including a talented Mt. Juliet guard tandem with Paige Baugher (10.1 ppg) and Helen Mitchner (2.7 apg). He wants to see a toughness and that includes a mental and emotional aspect in preseason workouts. He would like his team to be known as a tough team on both ends of the court and says that backbone is already there.
A good place to start as any is with senior forward Sarah Raby. After averaging 12 points and over seven rebounds per game in her junior campaign, she emerged as a daily double-double threat and a top-10 scorer in the G-MAC with the seventh-best field goal percentage.
"This will be my last year and I don't know what I'm going to do without basketball or Trevecca," she said. "It's become home for me and even when I'm gone for the summer, I look forward to coming back and getting basketball ready to go and started up."
The graduation of Baugher and Mitchner hurts from an experience standpoint but should open more scoring opportunities for seniors Megan Kilburn and Briana McDonald in the frontcourt.
Together, they combined to average over 15 points per game and could be asked to shoulder more of the responsibility as seniors. Watch for some of the newcomers to seize prominent roles within Hibdon's system, including junior Middle Tennessee State transfer Caya Williams.