Chattanooga Tops SoCon Basketball Job Rankings

Coaches anonymously poll ranks conference's basketball jobs, with Chattanooga, Furman, and ETSU leading the way

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

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According to an anonymous poll of coaches in the Southern Conference (SoCon), the Chattanooga Mocs basketball program has the best job in the league. Furman and East Tennessee State (ETSU) rounded out the top three, with Chattanooga cited for its facilities, money, tradition, location, and ability to attract top coaches and players. Furman was praised for its investment in basketball, coach retention, revenue sharing, new arena, and athletic department alignment. ETSU was recognized for its tradition, fan base, facilities, administrative support, and ability to get players admitted to the school.

Why it matters

The SoCon is a mid-major basketball conference, so having a clear pecking order of the best jobs can help coaches, players, and recruits understand the landscape and make more informed decisions. This poll provides valuable insight into which programs have the most resources, support, and potential for success.

The details

The anonymous poll of SoCon coaches ranked the 10 basketball programs in the conference, with Chattanooga coming out on top, followed by Furman and ETSU. Coaches cited Chattanooga's facilities, financial resources, winning tradition, location, and ability to attract top talent as key factors. Furman was praised for its investment in basketball, coach retention, revenue sharing, new arena, and athletic department alignment. ETSU was recognized for its tradition, passionate fan base, quality facilities, administrative support, and ability to get players admitted to the school.

  • The poll was conducted in January 2026.

The players

Chattanooga Mocs

The basketball program at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, which was cited as having the best job in the SoCon according to the anonymous poll of coaches.

Furman Paladins

The basketball program at Furman University, which was ranked second-best job in the SoCon according to the anonymous poll of coaches.

East Tennessee State Buccaneers

The basketball program at East Tennessee State University, which was ranked third-best job in the SoCon according to the anonymous poll of coaches.

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The takeaway

This poll provides valuable insight into the relative strengths of the basketball programs in the SoCon, with Chattanooga, Furman, and ETSU emerging as the clear top jobs in the conference. The factors that set these programs apart, such as facilities, financial resources, tradition, and administrative support, will be important considerations for coaches, players, and recruits looking to maximize their opportunities for success at the mid-major level.