It’s an opportunity that Alissa Adams couldn’t pass up.

The West Lincoln head girls’ basketball coach let her team know earlier this month that she was stepping
down from that position to accept the open assistant spot at her alma mater, Southwest Mississippi
Community College.

The hiring of Adams at SMCC was officially announced by the school with a press release on Thursday
and the position came open recently when former Southwest assistant coach Britta Stephens was hired as
the head women’s basketball coach at Copiah-Lincoln CC.

Adams leaves West Lincoln after coaching the team for two seasons and posting a combined 43-11 record
during that time. Her Bears went to the MHSAA 2A semifinals in 2022, losing to Belmont in the
Mississippi Coliseum.

Last season, West Lincoln lost once in the regular season before finishing a 23-2 campaign in the 2A
quarterfinals with a loss to the eventual state champions from Lake High.

West Lincoln also won back-to-back Region 7-2A championships during that span.

At Southwest, she’ll work under one of her basketball mentors in head coach Brent Harris.
Harris signed Adams, then Alissa Adam, out of Hancock High School where she led the 6A Hawks in
scoring as a senior.

At Southwest, Adams started at point guard from 2015-2017 before finishing her academic career with a
degree from Mississippi State University.

“Alissa Adams was a very talented point guard and a true captain on the floor,” said Harris in the release
by the school. She is one of the most intelligent players I have ever coached. She, like myself, is
passionate about the game of basketball and Southwest Mississippi Community College. We are very
lucky to have her back at Southwest.”

Adam’s coaching career began at Amite School Center in Liberty before the move to West Lincoln.
At Southwest, Adams will again get to coach Cara Beth Addison. The reigning Daily Leader All-Area
MVP, Addison signed with SMCC after finishing a standout varsity career at West Lincoln.

West Lincoln will also have a new principal next year as Andrew Redd has come back to the school to
replace John Shows. Redd was a longtime teacher and coach at the school and returned after Shows left to
become Superintendent of the Pearl River Central School District.

Boys’ basketball coach Jay Case has also taken on the responsibilities of athletic director at West Lincoln
along with his role as head cross-country coach. Case is replacing Preston Gordon as athletic director.
Gordon recently took the head football job at Discovery Christian School in Florence.