Bowie Lady Rabbit Basketball Coach Wanda Edwards brought home the 1955 state championship in her very first year of coaching the Lady Rabbits.
It was one of many accomplishments for the former head coach, who was named all state in both American Athletic Union and TAF during her career as a high school athlete.
At the time, Wayland Baptist University was the only college offering women’s sports, but after a tryout for the basketball team, Edwards decided she did not like the dust that was a common sight in Plainview.
She instead enrolled in Texas Wesleyan University, where she earned a spot on the men’s golf team.
Her first teaching position was with Bowie High School, where her and a group of high school basketball players brought home the state title by a score of 54-52 in the AA title game. The team consisted of Linda Bradfield, Sue Jackson, Joan Baxter, Glenda Brooks, Ruth Ann Wright, Linda Campbell, Lynda McLeland, Margin Stovall, Betty Andreasen, Mildred McCraw, Carol Ann Smith, Lornda Sue McLeland, Lawana Robinson and Johnny Shytles.
The team ended the season as regional finalists the following year and the girl’s tennis team won state in 1955-56. After her time with Bowie, she taught, and eventually became vice principal, at Meadowbrook Middle School.
Her career as an educator, administrator and a crisis intervention coach and co-director spanned 35 years.
Her time with the Lady Rabbits was honored as the only inductee for the Bowie Hall of Honor on Friday night as part of homecoming festivities.
The rain did not stop a large crowd from attending the event in honor of the coach. Due to her health, Edwards was unable to attend, but her sister-in-law Carol Edward and nephew Stacey were there on her behalf. Several members of the state championship team also were present to honor their former coach.
Carol gave a speech from the coaches own words, stressing how much her time at Bowie meant to her both as a coach and as a person, and how special the group of athletes she coached were.
The inductee received a plaque identical to the one that will grace the halls of Bowie High School. It contained photos of the longtime educator as well as her biography and the important role she played in Lady Rabbit athletics.

To read the full story, pick up a copy of the mid-week edition of the Bowie News.