We're in the home stretch with the three defining moments of the 2018-19 DFW sports season. Here is Number 3.
Duncanville Head Coach Embroiled in Controversy
Back in mid February - a day before Valentine's Day - the 6A girls basketball landscape was turned upside down as a state power lost its head coach mid-season.
Amid alleged recruiting violations from a former's parent, according to a Dallas Morning News report, Cathy Self-Morgan resigned from her head coaching position just as Duncanville was to begin a playoff run.
The resignation caused a major stir and definitely affected the team as it fell in the opening round of the playoff tournament to South Grand Prairie.
Self-Morgan left with a record of 1,170-287 that included a 105-game winning streak from 2012-2014. During her time at Duncanville, which began in 2000, she led the program to five Texas state titles. Prior to that, she led Austin Westlake to three state titles.
In early March, the school district's investigation reported that there was insufficient evidence into any wrongdoing by Self-Morgan. However, the DMN's Ben Baby was able to access some incriminating text messages between Self-Morgan and an AAU coach, which seemingly undercut the district's investigation.
Duncanville ISD claims this text conversation between Self-Morgan and an AAU coach -- which DISD released -- is "insufficient credible evidence"? C'mon. pic.twitter.com/gJZJiWBUVg
— Ben Baby (@Ben_Baby) March 7, 2019
Just under a month later, the University Interscholastic League stated Self-Morgan was found guilty of the alleged recruiting violations and was levied a three-year suspension from coaching and a public reprimand.
Duncanville subsequently hired a former player and assistant coach in LaJeanna Howard, who won state titles as a player in 2012 and an assistant in 2016. Formerly, she was the head coach of the Dallas Lincoln girls program, leading them to a state tournament appearance this past season.
PREVIOUS TOP 10 MOMENTS
Number 4: Slidell Wins First State Crown in 76 Years
Number 5: The Colony's Hook and Ladder Downs Lone Star
Number 6: Bobby Witt Jr. Takes All The Awards
Number 7: Adoette Vaughan Wins 4th Straight SPC Title
Number 8: Three From 9-6A Tabbed McDonald's All-Americans
Number 9: Segler Reassignment/RJ Hampton Goes Pro
Number 10: Flower Mound Volleyball's Run to State
