Petree named WC head women’s basketball coach 

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. 

Petree also led the program at Angelo State University from 2013 to 2015. During her time as head coach, she recruited a freshman class that later won three conference championships and coached top‑level talent, including a conference Freshman of the Year and a future WNBA draft pick. 

She served as head coach at Morehead State University, an NCAA Division I program in Kentucky, where she orchestrated one of the country's most notable turnarounds. In three seasons, the Eagles significantly improved their win percentage, jumped more than 100 spots in the NET rankings, and earned their first conference tournament win in five years. 

Most recently, she served as associate head coach at the University of North Alabama, an NCAA Division I program in Florence. 

Jeff Lightfoot, WC's athletic director, said Petree's track record and energy stood out during the search process. 

"When I began looking for new leadership for women's basketball, it was important to find someone with passion, energy and vision," Lightfoot said. "Coach Petree brings all of that, along with a proven record of winning and a reputation as a tireless recruiter. I'm excited to welcome Cayla to WC and our community." 

A Cisco native, Petree previously served as head coach at Cisco Junior College, where she rebuilt a program that had gone winless over two seasons, leading the Wranglers to a 93‑61 record during her tenure. She has also served as an assistant coach at the University of North Texas and New Mexico Junior College. 

Known for her energy, player development and recruiting reach, Petree has coached more than 40 all‑conference and all‑region players and helped multiple programs establish sustained success. 

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. 

"Weatherford College is a dream job for me," Petree said. "I have always had tremendous respect for this program. There are about 10 schools in the country that realistically compete for a national championship every year and none have better resources or support than WC. President Farmer and Coach Lightfoot have big time expectations for all the programs, and I wanted to be a part of it. I am so excited to get to work!" 

Petree has begun her duties at WC, leading offseason workouts and recruiting ahead of the upcoming season.