WHITE HOUSE — The White House has found a new head coach for women's basketball, hiring Megan Leggett to take over the job.
Leggett spent the past two seasons at his alma mater, Longview. Leggett led the Lady Lobos to a 48-19 record.
“Right after the game started, as athletic director, I assembled the players that I thought would do the best job around the players that were going to be here,” Whitehouse athletic director Don Newton said. “Although we had only worked together for a short time, I felt I knew her well enough to at least reach out to her. Next thing you know, we brought her here and met with some other people, but we made a quick decision before school ended. We're excited to have someone of her caliber here.”
Leggett led Longview to back-to-back playoff appearances and three playoff wins in two seasons for a program that hadn't been to the playoffs since the 2018-19 season and hadn't won a playoff game since 2015.
“She turned things around right away,” Newton said. “Seeing the effort she puts into not only promoting the program, but also promoting the kids through social media, is clearly on the same level as the places I spent a fair amount of time and the positive experiences I had there.” Look, I knew very well that she looked back.”
Last season, Longview went 24-9 and advanced to the third round of the playoffs for the first time since the 2009-10 season. The Lady Lobos parted ways with Whitehouse in District 15-5A play, with Whitehouse winning 36-34 but losing 49-40 at Longview.
Leggett was named District 15-5A Coach of the Year in 2022-23 and THSCA Region 6 Girls Basketball Coach of the Year in 2024.
“I’m very grateful for that opportunity,” Leggett said. “It’s really special to go back to Longview and go back to that Lady Lobo program that helped me establish who I am and what I believe in. I really just went in and established structure and discipline. , it was so fun to see the girls buy into it.'' It's special to see them work so hard and achieve success. ”
Ms. Leggett has spent her entire career in East Texas. Before going to Longview, Leggett served as an assistant coach at Panola College and Jefferson High School before serving as head coach for one season at Wylie College.
As a player at Longview High School, she helped lead the Lady Lobos to a 67-5 record in her junior and senior seasons. As a senior in 1998, she averaged 19.6 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.1 assists and led the nation in free throw shooting percentage of 88.4 percent. She also made 96 3-pointers in Class 5A and finished her Longview career with 72 consecutive games in double figures. She averaged 19.8 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.9 assists as a junior, had a nation-leading 88.9 percent accuracy from the free-throw line, and made a Class 5A-best 91 3-pointers.
Leggett played basketball at the University of South Florida.
Mr. Leggett now takes over the White House program.
“That was not my intention,” Leggett said. “When I took the Longview job, it was a place I knew I would serve for a long time. God opens doors and shows you the way. What I Learned One is that when he shows you where you need to be, that's where you go. It's an exciting opportunity for me and I can't wait to get started.”
Leggett replaces Jay Fitts, who led the Ladycats for three seasons. Fitz will be the Director of Boys Basketball at Travelers Rest High School in South Carolina.
In the 2021-22 season, Fitts led Whitehouse to its first playoff victory since 2007, defeating Texas High 45-32 at Lobo Coliseum in Longview. The Ladycats went 53-47 in three seasons and won playoff games in 2022 and 2024. Whitehouse went 24-11 this season, beating New Caney-Porter in District 2 but losing to McKinney North in the area round. McKinney North also defeated Longview in the third round.
Whitehouse graduates two seniors, most notably rising senior Kiana Thornton (8.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 1.8 steals) and rising junior Tayla Morris (11.5 points, 2.7 rebounds, 2.5 assists). , 2.7 steals) is expected to return.
“As I was coaching against Whitehouse, I noticed something about the way their athletic department runs and the way they move during games,” Leggett said. “Coaching against that, I was impressed with that. Just coaching them and scouting them as an opponent, I saw something special. And then coming to campus, the culture that the administration is building so hard, When you look at the discipline, the environment, it's a winning environment. As a coach, I'm drawn to that.
“That foundation was laid here at the White House. I'm very excited to be here and build on that.”
Whitehouse will play Hallsville, Jacksonville, Lufkin, Marshall, Mount Pleasant, Nacogdoches, Texas High School and Tyler in District 10-5A for the next two school years. Longview will move up to Class 6A and join District 10 along with Tyler Legacy, Forney, North Forney, Rockwall, Rockwall Heath and Royce City.
“We're going to compete at a high level in all aspects,” Newton said. “That's my goal. Obviously we want to get great, like-minded guys on the same coaching staff here to chase a championship.”
Leggett has a 5-year-old daughter, Stevie Grace.