Oakton's veteran Coach Fred Priester has been anticipating this coming season ever since the departure of all everything Jasmine Thomas (Duke) a couple of years ago. The Cougars boast a nice blend of youth and experience to their lineup this year. 

Team Captain Erin McGartland (G-F) returns for her third year in the starting lineup . She is accompanied by fellow senior returning starter

Brianna Johnson (F-C) and senior Sasha Borojeni (G). Sophomore sharpshooter

Zora Stephenson (G-F) will be looking to improve on her record breaking season last year. 

In all, seven players return for Oakton, but it might just be the new faces that Coach Priester will be looking to keep the Cougars at their perennial spot atop the Concorde District. Sophomore wing guard

Halley Cummins transfers from Paul VI where she made a significant contribution as a freshman last year. Speedy freshmen twin guards

Caroline and Katherine Coyer, no strangers to anyone in AAU circles, make their much anticipated debut this year for the Cougars and are expected to make lots of noise immediately anchoring the backcourt. 

Oakton silently expects to strongly compete for a

Northern Region title this year. Whether they are truly able to run with the power teams will largely depend upon the how quickly the new players adapt and gel with the veterans.

More on Coach Priester:

Coach Priester is the winningest coach in

school history at two local high schools, McLean  (130-104 in 10 years),

and Oakton (266-58 in 12 years).  His teams have won eight district

tournament championships, finished 1st or 2nd in district regular season play 11

times, won two Northern Region Tournament Championships, and advanced to the

Virginia AAA State Final Four and Championship Game.  He has been named

Coach of the Year multiple times by local newspapers, and has had the honor of

coaching in the Virginia State All-Star Game on several occasions.  In

addition to his high school experience, Coach Priester has coached for the

Potomac Valley Vogues AAU Basketball Club since 1986.  His AAU teams have

finished in the Top 10 at AAU Nationals on 4 occasions, and have placed in the

Sweet Sixteen 10 times.  He has coaches and assisted in the recruiting

process of 125 Division I, 7 Division II, and 25 Division III student-athletes

over the past 19 years. 

As a high school guidance counselor with

extensive contacts in the college coaching ranks, Coach Priester is uniquely

qualified to assist, in cooperation and conjunction with high school coaches, in

academic and athletic planning for high school student-athletes.  He has

spoken at local and statewide conferences on the topics of the NCAA

Clearinghouse and college recruitment.  Coach Priester has been the

director of the All Star Team Camp at Longwood College for over 20 years, as

well as directing high school and youth camps, and clinics for over 22 years. 

He has been fortunate to have worked as an instructor and counselor at camps and

clinics throughout the United States. Coach Priester has spent 25 years