In college and professional sports, it is rare to see numerous changes in coaching staff. Lincoln athletics, on the other hand, has experienced many coaching changes in recent months.

Coming into this school year there was a total of four Lincoln sports teams with new coaches. This includes boys tennis, boys golf, softball and cheer.

The new boys tennis coach is Todd Mansfield. Mansfield will be leading a team that has placed in the top 3 of the state the past two years. The boys tennis team is looking to take 1st place in state this year.

The boys golf team also has a new coach this year, Dylan Meyers. The previous coach was Phil Simms, Lincoln’s old security guard. The new girls softball coach is Lincoln alum Paige Mescher and the new cheer coach is Molly Hendricks.

Unexpectedly, the girls basketball coach and football coach have both left after the end of their respective seasons, leaving each team with many questions.

The former head Lincoln football coach, Wes Warren is hanging up the whistle after this year, as he wants to spend more time with his family and new child. In the fall Warren will become the new head football coach at Franklin High School, where he can be closer to his family and not have to deal with any athletic and facility changes at Lincoln in the upcoming years.

On April 30, the school announced the hiring of Jeremy Johnson as head football coach. Johnson comes from Oregon City High School, where he served as special teams, quarterbacks and safeties coordinator.

Oregon City placed 3rd in the Mt. Hood Conference and reached the second round of the playoffs last year.

The girls basketball team had a whirlwind season this year. Head coach Ashley Stewart was new to the team from Beaverton High School this year. Stewart led the team to the first round of playoffs and an 11-14 overall record.

There were also reports of the off-the-court struggles. KGW reported on Feb. 28 that a player accused Stewart of making racist remarks.

KGW could not reach Stewart for comment, nor could the Cardinal Times.

“There was just a lot of drama over the whole season,” junior girls basketball player Charlotte Anderson told the Cardinal Times.

Lincoln Athletic Director Jessica Russell said, “It was time to move in a new direction,” but declined to comment further.

The school does not have to provide a reason for not retaining a coach because all coaches are on a one-year contract, Russell said.

“We have conversations every year that says, we want you back this year, or we don’t want you back next year,” Russell says.

The athletic department has yet to name a new girls basketball coach, but they are currently interviewing coaches from around the community. The coach is expected to be named in the next few weeks.