MAIZE, Kan. — Former Hutchinson Community College standout Amanda McNeill has been named the new head girls basketball coach at Maize South High School, the school announced.
McNeill, who played at Hutchinson under her maiden name Amanda Fessenden, returns to her home area after a collegiate career that spanned three programs and a coaching career that has included multiple successful stops.
A Maize High School graduate, McNeill earned statewide recognition as a player, including Kansas Basketball Coaches Association All-Star honors and a McDonald’s All-American nomination. She began her collegiate career at Hutchinson Community College, where she quickly established herself as one of the top players in the Jayhawk Conference.
At Hutchinson, she started all 25 games as a sophomore and led the Blue Dragons in both scoring and rebounding, averaging 14.4 points and 7.68 rebounds per game. She shot 43.7 percent from 3-point range and earned first-team all-conference and all-region honors, along with All-American honorable mention recognition.
McNeill then transferred to Florida Gulf Coast, where she appeared in 27 games during her junior season. She averaged 2.5 points in limited minutes, with a season-high 11 points against USC Upstate.
She later finished her collegiate career at Washburn University, where she made an impact in a single season with the Lady Blues. McNeill ranked 17th in program history with 66 made 3-point field goals and posted the fifth-highest single-season total in school history. Her 40.2 percent shooting from beyond the arc ranked among the top single-season marks at Washburn, and her 164 attempts were also among the program’s highest totals.
Following her playing career, McNeill has spent more than a decade coaching and developing players. She was part of a state championship run at Norman High School in Oklahoma and most recently helped Derby High School to a fourth-place state finish as an assistant.
In a statement, McNeill said she is eager to take over the Maize South program.
“I am honored and grateful for the opportunity to join the Maize South Mavericks family as the new head girls basketball coach,” McNeill said. “My goal is to continue the standard at Maize South basketball by bringing enthusiasm, discipline and a mindset built on toughness, while building a culture of excellence in young women on and off the court.”
McNeill replaces the previous head coach and takes over a program that has been competitive in recent seasons.