by Rick Mauch 

Bob McKinley knows how to put together winning basketball squads. He's done so for almost five decades at Weatherford College, making him the second-winningest active women's coach in all the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA). 

McKinley enters his 46th season at WC with a record of 982 wins and 501 losses. If things go well this season, he'll be celebrating a milestone 1,000th victory. 

"It's no different than the first one I won," McKinley said. "I've loved every win we've had. And what's best is they've all been here."  

Then, in typical McKinley fashion, he added with a chuckle, "If you stay around long enough you have to win a few games." 

No one wants McKinley to go anywhere, that's for sure. As he prepares for the season opener at home against Howard on Nov. 1st, he enters the season with a roster including eight sophomores and six freshmen. 

The Lady Coyotes finished last season 15-11 overall and 9-7 in the Northern Texas Junior College Athletic Conference. They were ousted in the opening round of the Region V Tournament by No. 7 New Mexico Junior College, 79-75, coming up just shy of an upset. 

Four of the returners saw starting time last year and are back for a third season thanks to being granted an extra year of eligibility by the NJCAA because of the COVID-19 pandemic. They are 5-foot-4-inch point guard Mikayla Green (Manvel), 5-9 shooting guard Briarley Rogers (Tauranga, New Zealand), 6-2 forward Adreanna Waddle (Fort Worth) and 5-10 forward Celise Bobbitt (Killeen). 

Bobbitt was an honorable mention all-conference selection last season. She led the team in field goal percentage (54.8) and was second in scoring (12.4). 

"She'll be our best scorer," McKinley said of Bobbitt. "Briarley is our most consistent shooter." 

Rogers led the team in three-point shooting, hitting 36.1 percent. Green, a shooting guard last season, is the likely candidate to be the starting point guard, McKinley said. She was third on the team in three-point shooting, hitting 32.6 perceent of her attempts. 

"Moving from two to one is a hard transition," he said. "But she's fast, real quick." 

Waddle was third on the squad in rebounds in 2021-22, averaging 5.2 per game. 

Also back are 5-6 shooting guard Hena Spahic-Horton (Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina/Mineral Wells), 6-0 forward Helena Svilberg (Tallin, Estonia) and 6-1 forward Ksenija Djokic (Belgrade, Serbia), who did not play last season because of a knee injury. 

Transferring in from South Plains College is 6-0 sophomore forward Petula Ferreira from Sao Paulo, Brazil. 

Incoming freshmen include 5-7 shooting guard Diana Mozer, Juragua do Sul, Brazil; 5-8 shooting guard Adelia Pierson, San Marcos; 6-1 forward Trinitee Johnson, Burleson; 6-1 forward My Anderson, Stockholm, Sweden; 5-7 shooting guard Mary Doyle, Krum, currently in volleyball; and 5-9 shooting guard Deja Lumsden, Keller. 

McKinley said the chemistry between the returners and newcomers is great. 

"Awesome. We couldn't have it any better, lots of energy every day," he said. "I can't imagine any aspect of the game that's more important." 

Once again, the conference and region are arguably the best in the nation, McKinley said. 

"The best it's ever been," he said. "McLennan is the most improved, but New Mexico, South Plains and Midland are all going to be strong again. It's going to be a tough road once again, but we know that every year." 

And, of course, he expects his own Lady Coyotes to once again be among the teams fighting for the chance to reach the national tournament. 

"That's our goal every year and it's no different this year," McKinley said. "But, as always, it will be a challenge."