Fresh off leading the Dillard girls' basketball team to its third consecutive state title, legendary Panthers coach Marcia Pinder has been named the RUSSELL ATHLETIC/WBCA National High School Coach of the Year.
Pinder, the winningest coach in state history with a record of 804-175, will be invited to coach in the WBCA High School All-America Game on March 31 in Denver as part of the award. The game will be played at 6:30 p.m. as part of the events on NCAA Women's Final Four weekend.
Pinder has led Dillard to a Broward County-best seven state titles during her 35-year career. The number of championships is one shy of the state's all-time record held by Jacksonville Ribault. The "three-peat" achieved last week in Lakeland is Dillard's first.
