Second-year Copiah-Lincoln CC head women’s basketball coach Britta Stephens has picked a coach that she’s very familiar with to be her assistant with the recent hiring of Rachel Thompson.

A North Pike graduate, Thompson was part of a state championship winning team at Southwest Mississippi CC when Stephens was an assistant on the staff in Summit.

Thompson replaces Alexus Holt, who worked alongside Stephens last year before taking an assistant coach position at Jackson State University.

From 2018-2020, Thompson played at William Carey University, where she led the Crusaders in scoring and rebounding, leading to Second Team All-Conference Honors.

“I am very excited to have Rachel join the staff,” said Stephens in a release by the school. She brings a relentless work ethic and a great passion for the game of basketball. Her experience as a collegiate player who has not moved into the coaching ranks will make her extremely valuable to our players.”

CLCC finished 13-13 last season after Stephens was hired in June to replace longtime women’s basketball coach Gwyn Young. There were six sophomores on the roster in 2023-2024 for the Wolves, with five of them being among the top six scorers on the team.

Among the players signed by Stephens to replenish the roster include Taylorsville High forward Zariah Hatten, Morton High forward Tyra Johnson, Booneville High guard Kaylee Johnson, Choctaw Central guard Kylinn Bell, Southside (Louisiana) guard Eymani Key, St. Martin forward Jamyria Robinson, Pass Christian forward Kamaiya Pruitt, Plaquemine High (Louisiana) guard Madison Mitchell, and North Pike guard Amari Barnes.

After her playing career ended, Thompson came back to Summit to serve as a volunteer assistant with the Bears.

“I am especially happy to have Rachel because she is a player who I recruited, coached for two years and had the opportunity to coach with in the past,” said Stepehens. “Her familiarity with my style of coaching and the type of program we are working to build at Co-Lin will help us to continue building on the foundation that was started last season.”