ETSU head coach Brenda Mock Brown announce the addition of Eric Gracia to the staff on May 17, 2023. He wraps his third season with ETSU after the 2025-26 campaign.
Alongside the SoCon Coach of the Year Brenda Mock Brown, Gracia helped lead the Bucs to an 18-13 (10-4 SoCon) in 2025-26 for a fourth consecutive season with 17+ wins for the program. The Bucs clinched a share of the 2025-26 Southern Conference Regular Season Championship for the first time since 1994-95. Notably, ETSU went undefeated on the road in SoCon play (7-0) for the first time in program history and recorded two five-game win streaks to wrap the regular season with wins in 11 of the last 13 outings. The five-game win streaks are the longest for the program in conference play since the 2017-18 season. ETSU's 10-4 record in conference action was the best under Mock Brown's leadership and the best for the program since the 2017-18 season. The double overtime victory at Chattanooga marked the first win for ETSU over the Mocs since the 2021-22 season and was the first multiple overtime victory for the program since 2011 versus Belmont (2OT, W, 90-86). Gracia assisted with the development of four All-Conference selections, the SoCon Defensive Player of the Year and three All-Tournament Second Team honorees throughout the season.
Gracia comes to ETSU by way of Penn State, where he served two seasons as the Director of Video and Analytics for Coach Carolyn Kieger. In addition to his duties in Happy Valley, Gracia has served as a board member and Vice President of Marketing for the Latino Association of Basketball Coaches since 2020. Upon Gracia’s joining of the LABC, membership grew from 30 to 400 members within a three-month period.
“We are thrilled to welcome Eric into the fold as we continue building this women’s basketball program,” said Coach Mock at the time of hire. “From our first conversation, I was compelled by Eric’s passion for the game and humble approach to this profession. He has experience with all aspects of coaching and at various levels of women’s basketball. Eric’s work ethic, basketball mind, creativity and ability to relate to people will serve our program well on and off the court. With this hire, our women’s basketball staff is complete and I am beyond grateful to be working a long side this talented, hardworking and fun-loving group of people to serve our student-athletes and this university well.”
Prior to Penn State, Gracia was the head girls basketball coach at North Dallas High School from 2019-21. He spent four seasons prior to that as an assistant before earning his promotion to head coach. In addition to that experience, he served as a video consultant for ESPN analyst Fran Franschilla from 2020-21, creating instructional and pre-draft content for YouTube and social media.
“I am thrilled over the opportunity to join Coach Mock’s staff and be a part of the culture and community at East Tennessee State University,” said Gracia. “Go Bucs!”
A native of Harlingen, Texas, Gracia graduated from the University of Texas Pan-American in 2013 with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice with a minor in sociology. He then received his master’s degree in coaching and sport administration from Angelo State in 2015.
