GOSHEN — Goshen College’s athletic department announced the hiring of Teana Lewis to the staff of the women’s basketball team this past August. Lewis will serve as a new assistant coach with a focus on player development for the 2025-26 season.
Although new to the Maple City, she was already connected to the program through a relationship with its head coach, Tyra Carver. Carver coached Lewis at Louisburg (N.C.) College in 2016-17.
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“She was a freshman, our point guard, a phenomenal player, and we had a great player-to-coach relationship,” Carver said. “She always wanted to go into coaching, and we always stayed in contact after I left that school and she moved on.”
In 2018, Lewis left the two-year college and transferred to Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte (N.C.) to play her last two years of eligibility for the Golden Bulls (NCAA Division II) and graduated with a degree in interdisciplinary studies. After graduating, she served as a graduate assistant for the women’s basketball team at St. Andrews University in Laurinburg (N.C.).
In 2024, she received a call from GC’s head coach offering her the assistant coach position. However, Lewis said that she “wasn’t really sure if it was the right time to take that leap of faith.” Instead, Lewis signed on as the new assistant coach of Salem College’s women’s team in Winston-Salem (N.C.).
It wasn’t until earlier this year that Carver opened a hiring process for the second time and reached out to Lewis once again.
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“With the assistant coaches in the sports world, you just kind of know. That’s kind of how the process goes,” she said.
Lewis agreed to the invitation this time.
“I wanted more for myself, and I trusted her, and I trusted that she was the one who would be able to guide me further on where I wanted to be,” Lewis said.
GC’s women’s basketball team has had Lewis in the gym since the start of official practices in early September. She plays a role in helping players with their skill set, as well as being the point of contact that the athletes will go through for their individual workouts.
“Mental is first,” Lewis said of her coaching philosophy. “I’m a Christian, and I allow Him to move in my life and use me as a vessel so that I can help others reach their maximum potential, whether that’s on the court or off the court. It’s bigger than basketball.”
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Carver said she expects a natural partnership.
“Her playing style when she was a player was very similar to mine,” Carver said. “From an offensive perspective, we kind of have some shared identities as far as the type of offenses that we want to run.”
She emphasized the importance of having someone familiar by her side.
“In the world of athletics and college sports, you need people that you can trust.” Carver said. “So for me, the biggest thing is trust, right? As a head coach, you need people who can also hold you accountable.”
Ava Egolf, a sophomore forward, commented on the impact the new assistant is having on the team.
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“She is always happy to help me or other players get extra work on the court done,” she said. “I have learned to make some minor adjustments to my jump shot and make it more consistent.”
Lewis’ goals for the season are lofty.
“We want to win a conference championship and the national championship,” she said. “We want to hold teams under 80 points — preferably under 60 points if we can. And we want to just be better and limitless on all levels, mentally, physically.”
Looking ahead, Carver and Egolf view Lewis as a crucial component of the program and believe she will make significant contributions.
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“Teana has a lot of energy. She’s young, youthful. And I think sometimes the girls need players like that,” Carver said.
Egolf went on to add, “I see her helping to build confidence in us players by working with us individually and also during practices.”
Lewis mentioned that not everything is about winning.
“I want us to be remembered for our hard work and ethic,” she said. “Because one day that basketball may stop bouncing for some of them.”
The Maple Leafs have yet to release their schedule for this upcoming season, but are expected to debut mid-October.
