Cayla Petree named finalist for WBCA National Coach of the Year Award

LEVELLAND—After leading the South Plains College women's basketball team to one of the most successful seasons in program history, second-year head coach Cayla Petree was one of four coaches from across the country to be named a finalist for the 2017 United States Marine Corps Women's Basketball Coaches Association National Coach of the Year award on Wednesday.

Following a 20-win season and an appearance in the Region V Tournament during her first year in Levelland, Petree has led the Lady Texans to a 27-5 record in just her second year on the South Plains and will lead her squad onto the hardwood on March 20 at the 2017 NJCAA Women's Basketball National Tournament.

Petree was joined by Kevin Lynum of Northwest Kansas Technical Institute, Besty Specketer of Salt Lake Community College and Kim Muhl of Kirkwood Community College who won this year's WBCA National Coach of the Year Award.

About the WBCA:

Founded in 1981, the Women's Basketball Coaches Association is the professional association for coaches of women's and girls' basketball at all levels of competition. The WBCA offers educational resources that coaches need to help make themselves better leaders, teachers and mentors to their players; provides opportunities for coaches to connect with peers in the profession; serves as the unifying voice of a diverse community of coaches to the organizations that control the game; and celebrates those coaches, players and other individuals who excel each year and contribute to the advancement of the sport.