McKinley served Weatherford College for nearly 50 years. He coached the men’s basketball team for 18 years, and the women’s basketball team for the past 30 years.
McKinley compiled 16 conference titles, five regional championships, five national tournament appearances, and an NJCAA Final Four appearance. He also served as the college’s athletic director for 41 years.
During his tenure, McKinley coached 21 NJCAA All-Americans, the most recent being Neso Anisiobi, who was named second team All-American this year. This year alone, the Lady Coyotes had seven former players playing at the NCAA D1 level.
“One of my biggest joys is seeing my players reach their goals and live their best lives,” McKinley said. “Everything we do as coaches should center around their success.
“I am profoundly grateful to every player, assistant coach, administrator, and fan who made this journey possible. It has been the honor of a lifetime to coach and serve Weatherford College.”
Weatherford College President Dr. Tod Allen Farmer expressed his gratitude for McKinley’s service.
“Coach McKinley’s commitment to the Weatherford College men’s and women’s basketball programs and his role in developing student athletes, both as a coach and while serving as athletic director, are deeply valued. We celebrate his decades-long career and wish him all the best.”
The college will host a special celebration day in his honor at the first home game of the 2026-2027 women’s basketball season. Additional details will be announced in the coming weeks.
Weatherford College has named Cayla Petree as its new head women’s basketball coach.
Petree brings nearly two decades of collegiate coaching experience and a championship résumé that spans NJCAA and NCAA programs with more than 250 career wins as a head coach.
She is widely recognized for her success at South Plains College, where she posted a 127‑36 record and led the program to three NJCAA national tournament appearances. South Plains was ranked No. 1 nationally for nearly two full seasons during her tenure.
In 2020, her team earned the No. 2 seed for the NJCAA National Tournament before the season ended due to COVID‑19, and Petree was named National Coach of the Year by the NJCAA, Women’s Basketball Coaches Association and HoopDirt.com.
She continued that success at Gulf Coast State College in Florida, guiding the program to a national tournament appearance and a runner‑up finish. Her teams recorded several signature wins, including an upset of the nation’s No. 1‑ranked team, handing the eventual national champion its lone loss of the season.
As a player, Petree competed at Cisco before transferring to Texas Tech, where the Red Raiders advanced to the 2003 NCAA Elite Eight. She earned a bachelor’s degree in exercise and sport sciences and a master’s degree in sport management from Texas Tech.
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here