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HOOPS: New coaches named at MJ & WHS




Jeff Keller has been named the new girls basketball coach at Watertown High SchoolSteve Wampler

Jeff Keller has been named the new girls basketball coach at Watertown High SchoolSteve Wampler

Girls’ basketball positions –

Preseason practice for the 2021-2022 TSSAA basketball season opened Monday, Nov. 1 with a couple of new coaches taking over local programs.

Wilson out at MJHS — Longtime Mt. Juliet High teacher/coach Jennifer Wilson is out after just one season as head coach of the Lady Bears.

MJHS battled COVID-19 issues and low numbers all season long — finishing 1-22.

Wilson posted the following on her Facebook account early Saturday morning, “After coaching at the high school level for many years, I am now done.

“Maybe I’ll get back into it at some point. I don’t know. School got me good. I’ve loved all of my players and hope that I made a difference in some way at some point. Glory to God.”

MJHS athletic director Mike Duncan indicated Wilson, a four-time NAIA All-America honoree at Trevecca Nazarene, would be staying on the faculty as a Social Studies teacher.

Stepping into the head coaching position is Smith County native Joseph Hiett.

Joseph Hiett is the new coach of the Mt. Juliet Lady Bears

Joseph Hiett is the new coach of the Mt. Juliet Lady Bears

A former teacher and coach at both Smith County Middle and Smith County High, Hiett worked as an assistant under Wilson last season.

Heitt, who coached the MJ junior varsity to a berth in the district finals last season, indicated there were only 11 players in the program, but he would be holding tryouts in conjunction with practice this week.

“We’ll have practice for the 11 girls we have,” Hiett said, “for anyone who’s interested, we’ll be holding tryouts.”

Michelle Burke will work with Hiett as an assistant coach.

Jeff Keller hired at WHS —  As was reported at mainstreetpreps.com Oct. 28, former Wilson Central girls’ basketball coach Jeff Keller has taken over the coaching duties at Watertown High School.

Keller, in his second year on the WHS faculty as a US History teacher, coached Wilson Central to a record of 38-25 in two seasons (2017-2018 & 2018-2019) including a pair of wins in the opening round of the Region 5-AAA tournament.

 

 

“I’m excited for the girls and our community,” said Watertown Principal Darian Brown.

“We had 21 at our meeting earlier this morning. He’s anxious to get started.”

A graduate of Lipscomb University, Keller spent the two season prior to his time at Wilson Central as the girls basketball coach at Enterprise High School in Alabama.

He also worked as the head basketball coach at Alabama-Huntsville, an NCAA Division II institution (2003-2009).

Keller led the UAH women’s basketball program to three Gulf South Conference tournaments during his tenure there (2005, 2006, 2008) before stepping down after six seasons.

He takes over for Paige McKinney, who resigned both coaching/teaching position at Watertown back on Oct. 21.

McKinney went 41-46 in three seasons with the Lady Tigers, including a mark of 18-10 last year.

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