ATLANTA (May 11, 2021) — Westlake High School head coach Hilda Hankerson has been named the 2021 Wilson Sporting Goods/WBCA High School National Coach of the Year, the Women's Basketball Coaches Association announced today.
Hankerson will receive the Pat Summitt Trophy, named for the late legendary University of Tennessee coach and awarded annually to the national coaches of the year in each of the WBCA’s six membership divisions.
“The WBCA is proud to announce Hankerson as the 2021 recipient of the Pat Summitt Trophy presented to the Wilson Sporting Goods/WBCA High School National Coach of the Year,” said WBCA Executive Director Danielle M. Donehew. “We also congratulate the other head coaches who were selected by their peers as finalists for this prestigious award.
"Hilda was chosen for this honor after leading her team to an exceptional season. The WBCA recognizes and applauds her leadership example that can be seen in her student-athletes, school and community.”
Hankerson, in her 26th season as head coach at Westlake, guided the Lions to a 20-0 record and the 2021 Georgia High School Association Class 6A state championship. It was the Lions’ fourth straight state championship, having won the previous three straight Class 7A titles. Under Hankerson, Westlake went 110-4 during their four-year championship run.
“We are proud to recognize Hilda Hankerson as the 2021 Wilson Sporting Goods/WBCA High School National Coach of the Year,” said Amanda Lamb, global marketing director of Wilson Sporting Goods. “Congratulations on a well-deserved honor and thank you for dedicating your life to the lives of student-athletes on and off of the court.”
The Wilson Sporting Goods/WBCA High School National Coach of the Year is selected by a committee of coaches. This year’s finalists were:
|
Name |
School |
|
Rhonda Farney |
Georgetown High School (TX) |
|
Hilda Hankerson |
Westlake High School (Atlanta, GA) |
|
Scott Rogers |
Mount Notre Dame High School (Cincinnati, OH) |
| Dan Rolfes |
Incarnate Word Academy (St. Louis, MO) |
|
Brandon Siska |
Lake Mills High School (WI) |
Visit www.wbca.org/recognize/ to see a list of past recipients.
About Wilson Sporting Goods
Chicago-based Wilson Sporting Goods Co., a subsidiary of Amer Sports Corporation, is one of the world’s leading manufacturer of high performance sports equipment, apparel, bags, and accessories. The Company invents, designs and partners to create consumer-driven, best-in-class products that push sports equipment into new territories. In Basketball, the Company is the official supplier of game basketballs for the National Collegiate Athletic Association® (NCAA), FIBA 3x3 globally, Basketball Champions League (BCL) and more than 34 High School State Associations around the United States.
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. Visit WBCA.org for more details about the association.
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