Dawn Barger out as head boys basketball coach at Stewarts Creek

Dawn Barger is out after three seasons at the helm of the Stewarts Creek boys basketball program.

The team will not bring Barger back for a fourth season, Stewarts Creek Principal Clark Harrell told the DNJ on Monday. She will stay on, at least through the end of the school year, as a teacher at the school.

"I appreciate all Coach Barger has done for boys basketball," Harrell said. "After evaluating the totality of the program, we have decided to go in a different direction. We will begin the search for the new head coach immediately."

Stewarts Creek finished 10-18 this season, losing its final six games. The Red Hawks were 3-11 in District 7-AAA. In her three seasons, Stewarts Creek went 26-61 overall and 8-30 in league play.

Barger has been a trailblazer, becoming the first female head boys basketball coach to win a state title when she guided Lake County to a Class A championship in her first season in 2011.

After three seasons there, she left to become an assistant girls coach at Stewarts Creek .

She followed coach Jessica Jackson to Blackman and was her assistant from 2015-17 before landing the Stewarts Creek boys position, becoming the first female head boys basketball coach in Rutherford County.

"I want to thank Dr. Harrell and the administration for the opportunity to coach the boys basketball program at Stewarts Creek High School," Barger said. "I wholeheartedly believe in the direction our program is headed. I wish nothing but the best for the program moving forward."

Stewarts Creek had just one senior on this season's roster, but four starters will return next season. 

The school hired a head football coach in January when Ben Caudill was named to replace Bert Browne, who left after one season to take a position at Tennessee Tech.

The girls basketball program just completed its season under first-year coach Bianca Hensley after she was hired in April to replace Lindy King, who is now the head coach at Rockvale.

Reach Cecil Joyce at cjoyce@dnj.com or 615-278-5168 and on Twitter @Cecil_Joyce.