Coach of the Year — During halftime of the Centralia vs Hallsville game, Centralia’s Megan Brinkmann was honored as MSHSAA’s Class 3 Women’s Basketball Coach of the Year. She is shown here receiving the plaque from MSHSAA Assistant Executive Director Doug Fessler.
Courtesy Centralia R-VI
Here are some high lights Coach Megan Brinkmann’s coaching career and Centralia Lady Panther basketball 2023-24 season.
A graduate of Winfield High School, Megan Brinkmann played for William Woods from 2008 to 2012 then worked as a graduate assistant for two years before starting her coaching career at Bowling Green HS. She led the Bowling Green Bobcats to a District Title in 2018 after her second season. Next taking over at Eugene HS as the Head Coach and Athletic Director, she led the Lady Eagles to three consecutive District Titles, reaching the State Quarterfinals in 2021. She came to Centralia in 2023 compiling a 48 and 8 record in just two seasons as the Lady Panthers Head Coach and a career record of 130 and 55. That record breaking second season added a long list of accomplishments to Lady Panther history to include:
Back-to-back Centralia Invitational Tournament championships. Back-to-back Harrisburg Invitational Tournament championships. Posting wins against three state ranked teams in the regular season defeating #7 Palmyra, Class 4’s #8 Moberly, and #11 South Shelby. The only losses of the season were against state ranked teams, #9 California, #10 Diamond, Class 4’s #8 Moberly. Final 4 teams, #3 Chillicothe who finished 3rd in State in Class 4, and #1 El Dorado who finished 2nd in State for Class 3. They won the first Clarence Cannon Conference title since 2012 with a perfect 7-0 record.
For the complete article see this week’s edition of the Centralia Fireside Guard.
