Fifteen minutes after South Carolina won the NCAA women’s basketball championship Sunday night, Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley sent a text to Sytia Messer.

An hour before the title game between South Carolina and UConn tipped, Messer had been named the next head coach of UCF women’s basketball.

“Dawn texted ‘Congratulations. What a great opportunity. What a great university. Go get it done.’ She’s definitely someone I’m going to lean on,” Messer said.

Messer was formally introduced Tuesday inside Addition Financial Arena with family and fans in attendance. She laid out the groundwork for her goals at UCF. She replaced Katie Abrahamson-Henderson, who left after six seasons for Georgia.

“I want us to win on the court, in the classroom and in the community,” Messer said. “We’re going to do those things.”

Messer served as an assistant coach under Kim Mulkey, 2022 Associated Press National Coach of the Year, from 2013-21 at Baylor and this past season at LSU.

Messer helped lead the Bears to eight Big 12 regular-season championships, six conference tournament titles, an NCAA title in 2019 and six Elite 8 appearances.

She’s also a former player who helped Arkansas reach its first NCAA Final Four in 1998.

“I’ve been fortunate to play and lead a team to the Final Four, I’ve been fortunate to help a team win a national championship … so I know what it takes to win,” Messer said. “Our previous coaches have set the foundation and I’m here to enhance it.”

Character, academics and basketball, in that order, are what Messer will focus on in rebuilding the Knights.

“Character because I’m invested,” Messer said. “I’m invested in people collectively and this community. We have to remember that the next generation is watching us so character is very important to me.

“Academics because I have to prepare you guys for life beyond the court. We have to be able to do that.

“I said basketball last but it’s definitely not least,” Messer said. “We’re going to be able to develop players. Recruiting is essential.”

Messer takes over a program that had the No. 1 scoring defense in the country. The Knights won their first American Athletic Conference regular-season title and tournament championship this year thanks to their defensive prowess.

That defensive mindset likely won’t change under Messer, but she likely won’t have Diamond Battles (AAC Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year) or Brittney Smith (AAC Sixth Player of the Year). Both entered the transfer portal after Abrahamson-Henderson’s departure a week ago.

“Defense wins championships,” she said. “I’m going to continue the defensive intensity that’s already enhanced here.”

The kind of players Messer recruits, however, will differ.

“I’m going to go out and recruit young ladies that can play multiple positions,” Messer said. “If you get the rebound, you push it up in transition and [score] quick baskets. That’s key.

“We want to be able to, from a defensive standpoint, create easy baskets and multiple possessions for our players.”

Like Staley, who won a national title with South Carolina over the weekend, Messer is accustomed to winning a lot.

“You’re used to championships. I’m used to championships,” she said. “Let’s do this.”

Email Jason Beede at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter at @therealBeede.

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