Winter sports start in under a week and the excitement is at an all time high with the Men's and Women's basketball team coming off of the alumni weekend. We were able to see crisp set play execution from the Women's Basketball team, as well as a High flying athleticism from the Men's Basketball Team. Both teams enter this season with a brand new head coach; Coach Blanding from in-house promotion, and Coach Prevett from Asbury University. There are a multitude of questions to answer for this season, but confidence is there for both programs.

The Women's program new leader Monique Blanding plans to build off of success that she helped set before her promotion. Blanding had served as an Assistant Coach here at Tennessee Temple for several years before her promotion this summer. The new ball coach has a tough schedule in front of her, with a Division 1 match up on November 10, versus Tennessee State University, a game versus Lee University, and a matchup versus last year's USCAA champions Concordia Selma College. The program returns experienced and decorated Senior Point Guard Amanda Rector, as well as a walking double-double in Junior Forward Angel Foster. Those returners along with new additions such as, Silverdale star Sloan Woodard, Kristiana Pervis, and Mid-Continent transfer Jessica Kirby give the Crusaders a confidence heading into the season. The Lady Crusaders start with their Breast cancer Awareness game on October 27, versus Fisk University.

Men's Basketball has been an example of excellence for many years at Tennessee Temple, and the buzz is back again for this season. New Head Coach Daniel Prevett is ready to seize the program here at Tennessee Temple after being an Assistant Coach at Asbury University. Coach Prevett alongside Assistant Steve Edwards have the Men's team ready to play. The Men's program returns Senior Sharpshooter Weedlens Beauvil, as well as guard Travaris Clarke. The Crusaders do bring in several new players including strong Forward presence Bryan Jones, a court general in Sean Anthony, and a high flyer in Terrance Scales.  Some key matchups for the Crusaders are: November 25 versus Dalton State, December 18 versus University of Pikeville, and November 20 versus Lee University. Coach Prevett has challenges in front of him, but looks confident and poised to make a run this season.