Wellington head girls basketball coach Eric Adams held up state runner-up trophy in 2024. One year later, he won it all. 

By Tracy McCue, Sumner Newscow — Wellington head girls basketball coach Eric Adams has tendered his resignation.

Wellington’s most successful basketball coach in history will step away after 13 seasons, seven league titles, eight state tournament appearances, five state placings, two state finals, and a state championship.

Eric Adams

Adams states:

“After 13 seasons, I have made the decision to step away from my role as head girls basketball coach here at Wellington High School. Coaching in this community has been one of the greatest privileges of my life.  I’ve been blessed with wonderful young ladies that have represented this program and community in a first class way.  I thank each and every player for that.

The decision comes from a desire to spend more time with family and to be present for the moments that I’ve missed along the way.

Thank you to our school and community for the unwavering support, and especially thank you to my assistant coaches throughout the years.  Without your help, the success of this program would not have been possible.”

It’s been a long, successful road for Adams, who started coaching at the Wellington Middle School level in the early 2000s, before coaching one season at South Haven, where he added another state tournament appearance to his legacy.

Adams has flirted with retirement after winning the state championship last season. But he stayed one more year to coach Wellington to a 23-3 record and a fourth-place finish.

His pinnacle coaching moment occurred 12 months ago when Wellington defeated Bishop Miege 53-48 on March 15, 2025, to capture the Class 4A State Title. It marked only the second state championship in basketball for Wellington and the first in 78 years. It ended Bishop Miege’s reign of six straight 4A crowns.

Adams took over for Wellington head coach Kevin Hackerott after the 2011-12 season. He would get Wellington to the state tournament in 2015-16, where it finished third. Wellington would then get to state for two more years, starting the first of his three consecutive state tournament runs.

Eric Adams in his last season.

The Crusaders would return to the state tournament in 2021-22 and go on a five-year streak that was unprecedented in Wellington history. Some of the accolades include:

•Five consecutive Ark-Valley Chisholm Trail League Div. IV titles in which he accumulated a 49-1 record.

•Five consecutive 20-win regular seasons, including just five losses.

•Five regional championships.

•A home winning streak that still stands at 55. The last loss was against Andale on Jan. 21, 2021.

In the end, his record was 252-74.

He was named the Sports in Kansas Coach of the Year in 2024 in 4A and the Sports in Kansas Coach of the Year (all classes) in 2025.