With a new team — and a new name — Katie Milner is back in the coaching ranks.
The former Bishop Gorman Lady Crusaders basketball coach, as Katie Robertson, was hired to coach the All Saints Lady Trojans, All Saints athletic director Eddie Francis announced Monday.
Milner guided Gorman to unprecedented success in her three seasons as varsity coach from 2010-2013 before taking a leave from coaching to concentrate on her work as a personal trainer.
She's now back in the same league in which she was voted Coach of the Year three years running.
"All Saints is excited about coach Milner taking over as our new girls coach," Francis said. "Her passion for her players and the sport of basketball has made her incredibly successful in the past and we look forward to her taking our program to new heights."
Milner replaces Karen Lanford, who coached the Lady Trojans for the last five years. Milner will be joined on the sideline by Mike Lee, who was an assistant coach at Gorman from 2008-2013.
During Milner and Lee's time at Gorman, the Lady Crusaders rocketed to the top of TAPPS 2-4A, starting under the coaching of Larry Hargett. Behind current UT Tyler guard Michelle Obach, Milner's teams reached the state finals in 2012 while making the regional final in 2011 and 2013.
All Saints finished sixth in TAPPS 2-4A last year and will return all-district first-team guard Kendall Rhodus and second-team post Sarah Bracken. Milner never lost a game in league play with Gorman, going 36-0 as part of a 44-game district win streak at the school.
A Brownsboro native, Milner played collegiately at Oklahoma State, Blinn and Midwestern State. She earned a masters degree from Baylor and will graduate as a physical therapist from Kilgore College later this month. She is also a certified personal trainer and co-owner of Anytime Fitness in Chandler.
"Both coach Milner and coach Lee are excellent coaches and role models," Francis said. "I'm confident they will positively impact the lives of our players by building strong relationships and providing them with many memorable experiences."