Cathy Self-Morgan, considered one of the nation’s top girls’ basketball coaches, announced her retirement.

Self-Morgan, who took Duncanville (Texas) to national prominence and a regular in the Blue Star Media Elite 25 rankings including this season’s preseason, stepped down following her team’s loss in the Class 6A, Region I bi-district playoff game loss to South Grand Prairie (Grand Prairie) earlier this week. The Pantherettes concluded the campaign at 31-6.

“I have been in Duncanville for 19 years, and some of those have been the highlight of my coaching career,” Self-Morgan said in a prepared statement. “I have loved my Pantherettes and our amazing fans, but after 42 years of coaching it’s time for me to step away. That’s why on February 4; I submitted my letter of retirement. I will always cherish the memories I have from this district and with my Pantherettes.”

However, Self-Morgan leaves under a cloud of controversy. According to a published report, Self-Morgan is being investigated by the Duncanville ISD for potential recruiting violations.

Since 2000, Self-Morgan won five UIL state titles and accrued 638-83 record at Duncanville. Earlier this month the UIL ordered Duncanville ISD athletic director DwightWeaver to investigate the recruiting manner. Apparently there were text messages between Self-Morgan and a local trainer regarding the direct recruitment of players.

On the court, Self-Morgan had few peers. She has a career record of 1,170-287, which is the sixth all-time for girls’ basketball wins, according the National Federation record book. (Leta Andrews, most recently of Granbury, Texas, leads the nation with 1,416 victories).

Self-Morgan’s teams win state championships with Duncanville in 2003, 2012, 2013, 2016 and 2017. The grandest stretch of her tenure occurred between 2011 to 2014 when the Pantherettes captured 105 consecutive games (second all-time in Texas history) and two state titles.

Self-Morgan played collegiately for the Texas Longhorns under Hall of Fame coach Jody Conradt. Self-Morgan coached at Georgetown (Texas) for 22 seasons before departing for Duncanville at the turn of the century.