Milestone win
- Updated: September 7, 2016
Lincoln volleyball coach Hansen earns milestone 500th win in sweep of B.B. Comer, Sylacauga
Lincoln volleyball coach Patty Hansen is surrounded by her players as she opens the box containing the crystal trophy commemorating her 500th career victory.
By Al Muskewitz
East Alabama Sports Today
LINCOLN — Patty Hansen has never been one of those personalties to seek out the limelight so, true to form, her special night was simply “another big day of volleyball.”
The Lincoln volleyball coach claimed her 500th career coaching victory Tuesday night when the Lady Bears swept B.B. Comer and Sylacauga in a home tri-match. The milestone victory came in a typically tightly contested battle with Sylacauga, 25-22, 25-23.
“It’s something I guess as coaches you look for, those milestones,” Hansen said. “It’s an accomplishment my players have actually completed for me. I owe everything to them and the work they put in for me and playing for me. It’s pretty awesome. I was excited about it.”
Hansen is 500-382 in 22 seasons as a head coach — the last 12 at Lincoln, four at Ragland and six at Childersburg. She doesn’t remember the other milestone victories — 100, 200, 300, 400 — but does recall fondly the 2004 trip to the Elite Eight she made with Ragland. She has taken Lincoln to the state tournament 10 of her previous 11 years there.
At the end of the night the Lady Bears presented their coach with a crystal trophy and other items to commemorate the milestone.
“I didn’t know they were doing anything; I guess they were working behind the scenes,” Hansen said. “I think I mentioned (the 500) last year at some point it could happen, that you might could do this for me, and then it kind of went by and we didn’t get it. I think they had been counting it down, trying to do it and they kind of surprised me.”
Hansen starts on the second 500 Thursday in Odenville in a tri-match with St. Clair County and Ragland.
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