Priceville names Childress new girls’ basketball coach
By Russell Frye
For the Enquirer
Priceville needed a head girls’ basketball coach following Terrie Nelson’s retirement after the 2023-24 season. After a long search, they found one, and he has had great success in his short time as head coach.
Shane Childress will replace Nelson after two years at Clements High School, where he led the Lady Colts to back-to-back appearances in the Class 3A Final Four, including the state finals in 2023.
“I am excited about the opportunity be the new head coach of the Priceville girls’ basketball program,” Childress said. “Terrie did an excellent job with the program and now I hope I can continue the success she had and then take the program to new heights.”
Childress will have big shoes to fill in his new position. He follows Nelson, who led the Lady Bulldogs program for 13 seasons. In her time at Priceville, she compiled a 252-151 record and led the Lady Bulldogs to seven area championships, five Sweet 16 appearances, three Elite Eight appearances and one regional championship in 2023. She guided Priceville to a Class 4A state runner-up finish following the regional championship.
Childress guided the Lady Colts to a 52-17 record in his two seasons as head coach. Before coming to Clements, he was an assistant coach at Lauderdale County after coaching at Lawrence County for eight years, including seven as head coach of the boy’s basketball team.
“We are excited to hire someone with his experience and competitiveness,” Priceville principal Shane Hopkins said. “It will be a new start for our program, but he has a great foundation on which to build.”
The Lady Bulldogs return two starters from last season’s Northwest Regional finalists. They are all-state post player Abby Langlois, who averaged 18 points and 10 rebounds per game, and guard Lillyan Bloodworth.
Childress has two daughters, Leah and Josie, that will be joining the program. Leah, a senior, averaged 14 points and six assists per game last season. She was named to the 3A All-State team and was selected as the 3A Northwest Regional MVP for the second consecutive season.
“I believe that with Leah and Abby leading the team, we are going to be immediate contenders as we step into 5A this season,” Childress said.
Priceville steps up to 5A this season and will play in an area with county rival Brewer along with Ardmore and East Limestone.
“I have a lot of familiarity with the Ardmore and East Limestone programs, having played them during the last two seasons,” Childress said. “I am less familiar with Brewer, but I know historically they have been a great program. We look forward to this new challenge ahead of us.”
