By Bill Nestor
The Lincoln girls basketball team is poised to make a major jump this season. A year ago there were several players looking for playing time and it often resembled a different sport. “Last year wax a transition year for us. We played 10 players and it was like hockey substituting,” explained Head Coach Rob Hawkins.
What a difference a year makes as the Cougars return eight players who were major contributors from a season ago. There is a blend of leadership and youth on the roster including a pair of seniors and four sophomores and a freshman. Also in the middle are two standout juniors.
Seniors Sadie Adams and Gracie Fortney are on the perimeter with junior Dakotya Davisson, sophomore Kennedy Linville, and freshman Addie Milness. The center is senior Aundrea Rockwell. The forwards are led by a trio of players, all of which are sophomores. Brystol Toth, Ava McGill, and Gabby Milnes are all multi-talented players that look to provide a post presence for Lincoln this season as well as stepping outside to knock down shots.
The lone missing piece to this year’s team is a true floor general, but Hawkins has that covered. “We have to take care of the ball because we don’t have a real point guard, but we have a lot of people who can handle the ball. It will be ball handling by committee.”
This year’s edition has already shown great strides of improvement from last year’s nine and 15 mark. The Cougars opened the campaign with a three game win streak with wins over Ripley, Braxton County, and Hedgesville, outsourcing the opposition 201 to 113.
However, the typical grueling conference schedule and a lengthy stay away from home are major obstacles fro Hawkins and his squad. After hosting Buckhannon-Upshur on Jan 8, Lincoln will be on the road for eight of its next nine games. They say that nothing galvanizes a group more than playing away from home, plus when you throw in an excellent coaching staff this road venture is sure to prepare the Cougars for the postseason.
This has all of the potential for a swing season for the program. Look for Lincoln to make a big move in 2026!
