Head Coach
Tracy Stellato (903.693.2041 | This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it )

Tracey Stellato enters her tenth season at the helm of the Panola Fillies basketball program. In nine seasons, the Fillies have posted 145 wins after winning only 1 during the 2001-02 campaign prior to Stellato's arrival in Carthage. The Fillies have sent 41 players on to 4-year universities on basketball scholarships, with 19 of those competing at the NCAA Division I level. Stellato has coached 2 NJCAA All-Americans, 9 NJCAA All-Region players, 15 Region 14 All-Conference selections, 15 Region 14 Academic All-Conference selections, 6 Buddy Lowery Outstanding Female Athlete Award winners; 4 NJCAA Academic All-Americans, and 2 NJCAA Distinguished Academic All-Americans.  Last year's Panola Fillies saw five sophomores graduate from the program. Shay Reed committed to Texas Woman's University in Denton, TX; Candace Virgadamo and Ariel Billington headed to Arkansas and will suit up for the University of Arkansas-Monticello. Raven Alexander moved on the Texas Wesleyan University in Ft. Worth, TX and Kelsey Bardsley headed north to Canada. She will be competing for the University of Calgary.

The 2011-12 squad will have a completely new look. With just 2 returning players for last season, Stellato has 15 new faces on campus this fall. "I am excited about the group of young ladies that we have right now. They are hard working, extremely competitive and eager to prove themselves," noted Stellato. Two transfers will join lalast year's holdovers and provide the leadership Stellato is looking for as they head into the 2011-12 season.

Stellato believes in a philosophy of hard work. "Developing a championship-caliber program takes a tremendous amount of work, not only by the coaching staff, but by the team itself. We must do things better than everyone else. We must work harder than everyone else because we are attempting to set a precedent in every area of our program - academics, athletics and community involvement." We hold to a similar philosophy as legendary coach Bob Knight, "the will to succeed is important, but what's even more important is the will to prepare." It is our goal here at Panola to prepare our athletes for competition, as well as life. 

Stellato joined the Panola College family after four seasons at East Texas Baptist University. Stellato started her coaching career as an assistant for the Lady Tiger basketball program in 1997. During her three seasons as an assistant, Stellato helped lead the program to an impressive 75-16 record, including a school record 29 wins during the 1998-99 season. After three seasons as an assistant, Stellato was given an opportunity to direct the action as the head coach. She led the Lady Tigers to a 20-9 mark, with their third appearance in the NCCAA national championship game.

Prior to her coaching career, Stellato garnered several national accolades while competing for LeTourneau University, under Panola and NJCAA Hall of Fame coach Mary Ann Otwell. The LadyJackets captured the NCCAA National Championship, qualified for the NAIA national tournament in Jackson, TN for the second straight season, and took the conference championship and tournament championship of the Big State Conference. Stellato was named NCCAA Player of the Year, NCCAA Tournament MVP, NAIA All-American, as well as Big State Conference MVP. Prior to her stop at LeTourneau, Stellato played her first two seasons at the University of Texas-San Antonio.