Linda Wachter won't be coaching the Mt. Whitney High girls basketball team after all.
Pioneers athletic director John Perez told The Bee on Sept. 28 that the former Exeter coach - who had a successful and controversial six-year run with the Monarchs - would be taking over at Mt. Whitney.
But on Monday, Perez said Wachter would not be coaching the Pioneers and that the search for a new coach continues. Perez declined to comment further.
Wachter went 108-55 while leading Exeter to the Central Section Division IV title in 2006 and runner-up finishes in 2007 and 2008.
But she was not retained after the 2007-08 season, when six players chose not to go with the team to Santa Monica for a Southern California Regional playoff game, a matchup the Monarchs lost 51-41 to Crossroads.
In a written statement, the players said their decision was based in part on their support for teammates "who have been mentally and verbally abused." The statement did not identify the source of the alleged abuse.
Wachter subsequently filed a gender-discrimination lawsuit against Exeter Union High School District, saying she was fired because she complained about unequal treatment of the girls and boys basketball programs. In June, Wachter was awarded a $75,000 out-of-court settlement in which the district admitted no liability and Wachter agreed to never seek re-employment at any Exeter public school.
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