While UNA continues to pursue D-I athletics, the UNA basketball teams are focusing on futhering their already successful D-II programs.

Having a successful basketball program is an important part of being successful in D-1, said Mark Linder in an earlier interview.

“As far as Division I and success there, it is really driven by basketball,” he said.

The head coaches of the men’s and women’s teams have opposing views about the move to D-I and what part D-II success plays.

“Hopefully we continue to get better,” said Terry Fowler, women’s coach. “As the net gets better as far as recruiting and as you move to D-I, you get more scholarships, which means you get an opportunity to get more talent.”

Men’s head coach Bobby Champagne seems to have his focus on D-II success instead of on the D-I move.

This season, both teams have seen success on the court.

The men’s team won both games in the longest road trip of the year as they traveled to West Florida and Valdosta State last week. They are tied atop the Gulf South Conference with a 16-3, 9-2 record.

As of Feb. 5, the men are ranked No. 22 in the National Basketball Coaches Association D-II top 25 poll.

The women did not fare as well as the men, splitting the two games of the road trip. They defeated West Florida but fell to Valdosta State. After the loss, the women’s team fell behind Union and Delta State in the GSC, compiling a 14-7, 7-4 record.

The women’s basketball team appears to be meshing well with good chemistry.

“It is a great team; we love this team,” Fowler said. “They get along fine. We have won ballgames, but it has been fun being around this group because they are constantly trying to get better and they really like each other.”

The relationships the team creates are key to the women’s team.

“Our kids really like to be around each other,” Fowler said. “We have team dinners and try to have a good time. It helps build relationships, and we try to room players with different players so they can learn each other.”

Coach Bobby Champagne said the men’s team chemistry was built on the early season road trips, but sometimes they are on the road and they have the mindset of “Let’s get this road trip over with and come home.”

“The focus has been on being the best Division II team we can be,” Champagne said. “I haven’t really put too much focus on the Division I thing. Until it happens, I think that is when we will change gears.”

With D-I schools like Samford, Jacksonville State, Austin Peay and Belmont recruiting in the same area as UNA, the recruiting trail can be difficult when competing against D-I institutions.

Champagne said getting D-I talent is key to being successful in D-II.

“We do compete with those guys because we are trying to get the Division I talent,” Champagne said. “That is what it takes to be successful. It makes a difference.”

When it comes to a recruiting strategy, both coaches seem to worry only about UNA and what the university has to offer.

“Right now, while we are Division II, we feel like we always have a chance to get to the NCAA tournament, and we really try to sell that,” Fowler said.

He also said that having the campus in the Shoals area is a great selling point for the athletic program.

“We really try to sell that our program is about people, and our program is about developing relationships and developing the whole person for our team — academically, athletically and socially,” Fowler said. “We try to get kids that that is what they want to do, along with play basketball. It just kind of takes care of itself.”

Champagne focuses on the players who are interested in the UNA product.

“For us, we just sell our program and we don’t worry about the other programs,” Champagne said. “It is what it is. We have a product and it is either you like it or you don’t.”

Both coaches see the state of the programs as a process as they nearly echo each other on what the teams need to improve on.

As far as the two coaches’ futures with UNA go, Linder is positive they are the right fit for each program.

If and when UNA goes D-I, Champagne will make the changes necessary to be successful.

“I don’t think that there is any correlation between Division II success and Division I success,” Linder said. “They are two different animals. We will have to change the way we do a couple of things if we do make the move.”