New WHS Basketball Coach Brings 'Consistency'

Winnacunnet High School teacher Cassie Turcotte has been named the new head coach of the girls' basketball team, taking over a program she helped lead to five straight state championships under now-resigned head coach Ed Beattie.

Athletic Director Carol Dozibrin said Turcotte, 33, a physical education/health teacher and the former head coach of the girls' junior varsity team, "has a lot of experience" with the Warriors, which set her apart from the other two individuals interviewed for the position.

"She’ll bring some consistency," said Dozibrin. "She’s been with the program for the past 11 years. She's a teacher in the building, so she knows the kids. She has a good basketball knowledge base, so I think that and the fact that she’s here in the building is a huge piece.

"Those are all definite pluses for us."

Turcotte officially took over on Nov. 13, shortly before the start of the season, according to Dozibrin, who couldn't be reached for comment on the subject last week.

Beattie — who during 31 seasons as head coach led the Warriors to a 519-173 record, including a 119-3 mark in the past six seasons, and five straight state titles from 2007 to 2011 — formally resigned in October due to "limited" support from administrators as well as a difficulty juggling his other jobs, which include being a social studies teacher at WHS.

Turcotte couldn't be reached for comment, although she has told the Hampton Union that Beattie had been "preparing" her to take over "the last couple years" while she served as an assistant coach to the varsity team.

The former All-America Scholar-Athlete at Saint Joseph's College in Standish, Maine, told the Union that she is embraces the challenge of donning Beattie's whistle, particularly because the Warriors only have two returning varsity players this season.

"It is a challenge," Turcotte reportedly said. "I guess the comfort is in knowing that a majority of the players coming back played against that group of girls every day in practice. I'm hoping that there has been growth in that group of players and they can step onto the court and kind of meet the expectations that were held to that group the last two years."

Dozibrin said Turcotte has been well-received so far by the players, and said there have been "no issues."

The girls' basketball team's first game is at home against Londonderry High School on Friday, Dec. 7. The Lancers bounced the Warriors 51-42 in last year's Division I semifinal, which stopped WHS from winning an unprecedented sixth straight state championship, according to the team's MaxPreps.com page.