Impact
Records
Dave Bell
Bergen Catholic High School
Impact Statement
Dave Bell has built Bergen Catholic High School into one of the best wrestling programs in New Jersey not to mention the nation.
Biography
Over the past 20 years Bell has built Bergen Catholic into one of the best wrestling programs in the state of New Jersey and nationally.
This past season, Bell and his Crusaders, who finished ranked No. 2 in the nation as a team, set a new standard with nine wrestlers finishing in the top eight in their weight class, which gave BC its seventh straight NJSIAA team title.
Three BC wrestlers captured individual state titles. In the last two years, BC has seven state champs, giving Bell a total of 14 during his illustrious career. In addition to a marvelous state tournament, the Crusaders finished 15-1 during the dual meet portion of its schedule, which included wins over then No. 1 Blair Academy (New Jersey) and No. 7 Lake Highland Prep (Florida) to capture the Who’s No. 1 Duals. Bell is a member of the New Jersey Scholastic Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
In 2022, BC went on to win their twentieth Country Championship and are currently ranked second in the state.
Photos
Walton High School
Fitzgerald coached the lady Raiders to state championships for seven of their last eight years.
Fitzgerald coached the lady Raiders to state championships for seven of their last eight years.
Suzanne Fitzgerald
Walton High School
Impact Statement
Fitzgerald coached the lady Raiders to state championships for seven of their last eight years.
Biography
Fitzgerald, who took over the Walton program in 2006, led the Lady Raiders to their third straight state championship in 2017, which was their seventh in the last eight years. MaxPreps, PrepVolleyball and FloVolleyball all named Walton the No. 1 team in the nation.
The Marietta Daily named her the 2017 Cobb County Coach of the Year. Not only did Walton win the Georgia AAAAAAA state title, the Lady Raiders only lost three sets in 41 total matches. Their only loss was against national power Mater Dei (California) in the Nike Tournament of Champions in Phoenix.
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Lee’s Summit West High School
Griffin has coached 11 state team championships, 239 All-State runners and 42 state champions over the course of his career.
Griffin has coached 11 state team championships, 239 All-State runners and 42 state champions over the course of his career.
Jesse Griffin
Lee’s Summit West High School
Impact Statement
Griffin has coached 11 state team championships, 239 All-State runners and 42 state champions over the course of his career.
Biography
This past spring, Griffin led LSW to its third straight team state championship. Griffin’s squad captured two gold medals at the state meet. Griffin has also won state Missouri cross country championships as the head coach of the girls’ teams at Lee’s Summit West and Raystown.
In 2017, Griffin was named Coach of the Year by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches’ Association.
Griffin was inducted into the Missouri Track and Cross Country Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2021. He has coached 239 All-State runners and 42 state champions. Additionally, he’s led his team’s to 11 state championships.
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Records
Professional Achievements
Murrieta Mesa High School
Ballou built the Murrieta Mesa program from the ground up as their first and only coach since the school opened in 2009.
Ballou built the Murrieta Mesa program from the ground up as their first and only coach since the school opened in 2009.
Aaron Ballou
Murrieta Mesa High School
Impact Statement
Ballou built the Murrieta Mesa program from the ground up as their first and only coach since the school opened in 2009.
Biography
Ballou led Murrieta Mesa to its first-ever CIF state team championship earlier this month.
Ballou built the program from the ground up as the first and only coach the school has ever had since opening in 2009. Murrieta Mesa won the team title with 35 points, led by its 1,600-meter relay team that won the gold with a time of 3-minutes 10-point-86 seconds. This was the best time in the nation this past season.
Ballou, who also coaches the school’s cross country program, was also named the HSGameTime Track and Field Coach of the Year. He was also named the MileSplitCA Coach of the Year in Track & Field.
Photos
Records
Professional Achievements
Stevenson High School
“Coaching has been a great way to stay involved with the community outside of the classroom,” Tom Stanhope
“Coaching has been a great way to stay involved with the community outside of the classroom,” Tom Stanhope
Tom Stanhope
Stevenson High School
Impact Statement
“Coaching has been a great way to stay involved with the community outside of the classroom,” Tom Stanhope
Biography
Stanhope led Stevenson to an Illinois 2A team championship in the fall. In addition to this year’s state championship, in eight years as the head coach of the girls’ team, Stanhope led the school to three runner-up finishes, plus a third place finish. He compiled a 124-14 dual match record that includes back-to-back undefeated seasons in 2016 and 2017. Stevenson is currently riding a 33- match win streak.
Stanhope, who retired at the end of the season, but will continue coaching the boys’ team, was named as Illinois High School Tennis Coaches Association as its Class AA Coach of the Year.
Photos
Caesar Rodney High School
“We just have fun out here. I tell the kids, the No. 1 goal is to have fun. No. 2 is to try to learn how to play this sport. And No. 3, of course, is to win. It’s always in that order.” -Jim Harvey
“We just have fun out here. I tell the kids, the No. 1 goal is to have fun. No. 2 is to try to learn how to play this sport. And No. 3, of course, is to win. It’s always in that order.” -Jim Harvey
Jim Harvey
Caesar Rodney High School
Impact Statement
“We just have fun out here. I tell the kids, the No. 1 goal is to have fun. No. 2 is to try to learn how to play this sport. And No. 3, of course, is to win. It’s always in that order.” -Jim Harvey
Biography
Harvey led the Caesar Rodney tennis teams to five state championships in the last six years.
Harvey, who just finished his 34th year as the school’s head coach, won his 300th match in 2015. He began his coaching career in 1976 and stepped away in 1993. After a ten year hiatus, he returned in 2003.
He’s been named the Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association’s Coach of the Year five times.
In 2017, Harvey was inducted into the Delaware Association of Athletic Directors Hall of Fame. A year later, he was inducted into the Delaware Tennis Foundation Hall of Fame.
Photos
Records
Professional Achievements
Sacred Heart Academy
Luebbe led the Sacred Heart Academy girls’ swim team to the state title in 2018 setting a state record for points scored!
Luebbe led the Sacred Heart Academy girls’ swim team to the state title in 2018 setting a state record for points scored!
Jim Luebbe
Sacred Heart Academy
Impact Statement
Luebbe led the Sacred Heart Academy girls’ swim team to the state title in 2018 setting a state record for points scored!
Biography
Luebbe, who became the head coach at Sacred Heart Academy in 2007, led the school’s girls’ team to its 29th overall Kentucky state swimming championship this past season with an incredible 520.5 points This is a new state record and was 322.5 points more than second place North Oldham.
It was the sixth straight state title for Sacred Heart, which has also finished runner-up three times under Luebbe. “We shattered the record,” said Luebbe to LouisvilleCatholicSports.net after the championships. “It shows how deep our team was and how unified they were in their goal setting and what they wanted to accomplish as a team.”
Outside of his coaching duties, Luebbe continues to compete in the master’s division. In the 2018 Pan Am Masters, Luebbe placed first in the LCM Breaststroke with a time of 34.29. That time beat his Kentucky state record.
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Personal Honors
Punahou School
Jeff Meister is Hawaii’s all-time winningest swimming coach and has led his teams to 34 state titles!
Jeff Meister is Hawaii’s all-time winningest swimming coach and has led his teams to 34 state titles!
Jeff Meister
Punahou School
Impact Statement
Jeff Meister is Hawaii’s all-time winningest swimming coach and has led his teams to 34 state titles!
Biography
In his three decades of leading the Punahou boys’ and girls’ teams, Meister has led the school to 34 state titles (16 boys and 18 girls).
This past season, both squads won state titles in February. Meister is Hawaii’s all-time winningest swim coach and has been named Interscholastic League of Honolulu’s Coach of the Year 24 times.
Later this year Meister will be inducted into the National Federation of High School State Association’s Hall of Fame. He is also a sitting member on the NFHS Swimming and Diving Rules Committee.
Photos
Records
Professional Achievements
Neshoba Central High School
Since taking over the Neshoba Central High School’s softball teams Embry has guided his teams to eleven state championships!
Since taking over the Neshoba Central High School’s softball teams Embry has guided his teams to eleven state championships!
Trae Embry
Neshoba Central High School
Impact Statement
Since taking over the Neshoba Central High School’s softball teams Embry has guided his teams to eleven state championships!
Biography
Since taking over the Neshoba Central slow-pitch and fast-pitch softball teams in 2012, Embry has led the school to eleven overall state championships (6 slow-pitch, 5 fast-pitch). Currently, Neshoba Central is ranked No. 1 in the latest USA TODAY Super 25 national rankings with a perfect 32-0 record.
If you count his time at Europa High School, Embry has captured 16 overall state championships. Embry’s overall record in fast-pitch at Neshoba Central is 183-13. Earlier this season, he won his 400th career game and currently owns an overall fast-pitch record of 426-72. His team started the 2020 season 9-0 before being cut shot due to COVID.
Emrby left Neshoba and is currently in his second year as Head Coach at Holmes Community College in Goodman, Mississippi.
Photos
Professional Achievements
Houston High School
“We’re lucky enough to have people who want to be at Houston and want to be part of this culture. In the last four years, it’s been about competing on the national level, and when that happens the state becomes easier.” -David Wolff
“We’re lucky enough to have people who want to be at Houston and want to be part of this culture. In the last four years, it’s been about competing on the national level, and when that happens the state becomes easier.” -David Wolff
David Wolff
Houston High School
Impact Statement
“We’re lucky enough to have people who want to be at Houston and want to be part of this culture. In the last four years, it’s been about competing on the national level, and when that happens the state becomes easier.” -David Wolff
Biography
Wolff has led the Houston girls’ soccer program for a dozen years with a tremendous amount of success. This past season, the Houston girls captured the school’s eighth overall state championship with a perfect 25-0 record. The Lady Mustangs were ranked No. 1 in the nation in the USA TODAY Super 25 Fall Rankings.
Over the past four years, Wolff’s teams have amassed a record of 85-2-4 with two state titles and a runner-up finish. In 2015, Wolff led the Houston boys’ team to a state title. Before coming to Houston, Wolff led the Ridgeway High School boys’ and girls’ programs to six Tennessee state titles.
Since being honored, Wolff’s teams have made another three appearances at the state tournament. Most recently, they were the state runner-up in 2021.
Photos
Videos
Whitefish Bay High School
To be the best, you have to beat the best, be it regional, sectional or state.” -Rob Dubinski
To be the best, you have to beat the best, be it regional, sectional or state.” -Rob Dubinski
Rob Dubinski
Whitefish Bay High School
Impact Statement
To be the best, you have to beat the best, be it regional, sectional or state.” -Rob Dubinski
Biography
Dubinski has led his school to back-to-back Wisconsin Division 2 state championships since taking over the program in 2016. Overall, Whitefish Bay has won three straight state championships, which ranks the school as one of the all-time best in boys’ soccer. The Blue Dukes finished No. 2 in the nation in USA TODAY’s Super 25 Fall Rankings.
After winning the state title, Dubinski told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, “This is a once-in-a-lifetime type of team. I would put this team up against just about any team in state history. When the lights shine brightest, these guys show up to play.” Dubinski is also the head coach of the Whitefish Bay High School girls’ soccer team.
Since being honored, Dubinski and his winning ways have continued. Most recently, he led his team to another State Championship and a 20-0 season. They outscored their opponents 129-2. He currently has a combined record of 213-24-18 (boys and girls).
He was the 2021 NFHS Wisconsin Coach of the Year
Photos
Records
Professional Achievements
Desert Hills High School
“They’ll stay in there and battle and battle all the way to the end to make sure they post the best they can for the team, even when they’re having a rough day.” -Laurie Dyer
“They’ll stay in there and battle and battle all the way to the end to make sure they post the best they can for the team, even when they’re having a rough day.” -Laurie Dyer
Laurie Dyer
Desert Hills High School
Impact Statement
“They’ll stay in there and battle and battle all the way to the end to make sure they post the best they can for the team, even when they’re having a rough day.” -Laurie Dyer
Biography
Last month, Dyer led her school to its ninth straight Utah Class state championship. Desert Hills won the state title by 32 strokes over second place Park City.
After eight straight Class 3A titles, the Lady Thunder moved up to Class 4A this season. Dyer is the only girls’ golf coach that the school has had since opening in 2009.
While Dyer and Desert Hills didn’t win a state title in ’09, it has every year since then. The school did win a regional championship though in 2009.
Dyer stepped down after the season.
Photos
Records
Columbus High School
Chris Parker led his Columbus HS team to it’s third straight Georgia state team championship.
Chris Parker led his Columbus HS team to it’s third straight Georgia state team championship.
Chris Parker
Columbus High School
Impact Statement
Chris Parker led his Columbus HS team to it’s third straight Georgia state team championship.
Biography
This past season Parker led his school to its third straight Georgia state team championship. Since taking over the program in 1994, Parker’s teams have consistently finished in the Top 5 in the state. This year’s 4A state title was the fifth overall under Parker, who has also guided the Blue Devils to four state runner-up finishes.
After capturing the school’s third straight title, Parker told the Ledger-Enquirer, “It was exciting because we lost three seniors from last year who are all playing college golf. We had to replace a lot. This team really improved a lot, and over the last month or two they’ve played as well as any team we’ve ever had.”
Photos
Records
Trinity High School
“Good is the enemy of great. We say that quite a bit in our locker room. Being afraid to fail is not an option on our football team or at Trinity High School.” -Bob Beatty
“Good is the enemy of great. We say that quite a bit in our locker room. Being afraid to fail is not an option on our football team or at Trinity High School.” -Bob Beatty
Bob Beatty
Trinity High School
Impact Statement
“Good is the enemy of great. We say that quite a bit in our locker room. Being afraid to fail is not an option on our football team or at Trinity High School.” -Bob Beatty
Biography
Coach Beatty has had an incredible career since becoming the head coach at Trinity in 2000. His teams have won 13 Kentucky high school football state championships, including four straight state titles from 2005 through 2008. During a ten-year span from 2001 to 2010, Beatty’s teams captured eight state titles.
This past season, Trinity won its second straight Kentucky Class 6A title a perfect 15-0 record, garnering the Shamrocks a No. 4 ranking in the final High School Football America Top 100 national rankings. Beatty’s overall record at Trinity is 224-35 with four undefeated seasons. Trinity will bring a 30-game win streak into the 2018 season.
Since being honored, Beatty has continued to coach Trinity to another state championship in in the fall of 2019.
Photos
Records
Penn Manor High School
“People often have elaborate plans and strategies, we simply try to perfect simple important skills that will help us play a great game.” -Mark Soto
“People often have elaborate plans and strategies, we simply try to perfect simple important skills that will help us play a great game.” -Mark Soto
Mark Soto
Penn Manor High School
Impact Statement
“People often have elaborate plans and strategies, we simply try to perfect simple important skills that will help us play a great game.” -Mark Soto
Biography
Soto led Penn Manor to its first-ever undefeated season in winning the Pennsylvania Class 3A state championship in 2017, which also led to an overall No. 1 ranking in the Max Field Hockey Top 25 national rankings. The state title was the third for Soto and the Comets.
After winning the state championship, Soto told LancasterOnline.com, “They were destined to do it. They had their mind set from the beginning. They just stuck with each other, listened and did everything they could. I’m so proud of them.”
Soto, who has coached at Penn Manor for 13 seasons, topped the 600-win mark in 2015. He began his career as the head coach at Middleburg High School.
Soto continues to lead the ladies of Penn Manor.
Photos
Records
Notre Dame-Green Pond High School
Corrgian is the all-time winningest cross country coach in the nation with over 1,200 victories.
Corrgian is the all-time winningest cross country coach in the nation with over 1,200 victories.
Art Corrigan
Notre Dame-Green Pond High School
Impact Statement
Corrgian is the all-time winningest cross country coach in the nation with over 1,200 victories.
Biography
Corrigan is one of America’s most decorated cross country coaches with over 1,200 wins while leading the Crusaders’ girls’ and boys’ cross country teams over the past 30 years. This past season saw Corrigan pick-up his 600th career win with the girls. He achieved his 600th win with the boys several years ago. He is currently America’s all-time winningest coach in the sport.
After winning his 600th girls’ meet, Corrigan told WFMZ TV, “Some of our guys and girls run 400 or 500 miles all summer. We do a lot of hard work at cross country here at Notre Dame. It’s amazing as five of the guys I coached I also coached their parents in the 80s and early 90s. It’s almost like the circle of life.”
Corrigan’s girls’ teams have won six District XI championships, while the boys have won eight titles. From 2006 through 2009, his boys’ runners went 100-0.
On September 14, 2022, Corrigan led Notre Dame to his 700th career victory by defeating Bangor 16-45 and Pen Argyl 15-50, for win 701.
Photos
Articles
Videos
Records
Professional Achievements
Loudoun Valley High School
Marc Hunter has turned Loudoun Valley into a perennial state powerhouse over his short duration at the helm.
Marc Hunter has turned Loudoun Valley into a perennial state powerhouse over his short duration at the helm.
Marc Hunter
Loudoun Valley High School
Impact Statement
Marc Hunter has turned Loudoun Valley into a perennial state powerhouse over his short duration at the helm.
Biography
Coach Hunter led Loudoun Valley to its third straight Virginia Class 4A championship with a state record 15 points. The top five runners at the state championships were all Loudoun Valley Vikings. Loudoun Valley then capped the season with a national championship by finishing first at the National Cross Country Nationals.
After winning the national championship, Hunter told the Washington Post, “The boys were outstanding. They had a bull’s eye on their back early in the season, and it didn’t affect them at all. I’m just amazed at the stress these guys could’ve — maybe even should’ve — had, and they just didn’t let it affect them at all.”
Since being honored, Hunter and Loudoun Valley claimed another state title in 2019.
Photos
Records
Professional Achievements
Personal Honors
Central Valley High School
Rehkow led Central Valley to be the elite team in the state of Washington and the nation.
Rehkow led Central Valley to be the elite team in the state of Washington and the nation.
Freddie Rehkow
Central Valley High School
Impact Statement
Rehkow led Central Valley to be the elite team in the state of Washington and the nation.
Biography
Rehkow led his team to its second Washington Class 4A title in the last three years while going 81-1. Rehkow and Central Valley then capped off a perfect 29-0 season by beating Hamilton Heights Christian from Tennessee for the GEICO High School Nationals championship, which landed the Bears No. 4 in the nation in the USA TODAY Super 25 national rankings.
Rehkow was named the News Tribune’s Coach of the Year. Rehkow is the first coach from Washington to win the National Girls’ Basketball Coach of the Year. The team dedicated the 2017-18 season to Rehkow’s youngest son Cameron who is battling leukemia.
Rehkow resigned at the conclusion of the season to spend more time with him family but continues to be active in the sport. He is an analyst with Scorebook Live.
Photos
Articles
Records
Mountain Brook High School
“I believe in giving your very best effort. You play hard or don’t play at all!”
-Bucky McMillan
“I believe in giving your very best effort. You play hard or don’t play at all!”
-Bucky McMillan
Bucky McMillan
Mountain Brook High School
Impact Statement
“I believe in giving your very best effort. You play hard or don’t play at all!”
-Bucky McMillan
Biography
McMillan, who just finished his 10th year as Mountain Brook’s head coach, led the school to its second straight Class 7A state championship this past season.
It was the Spartans fourth state championship in the last six years. Mountain Brook finished the 2017-18 season with a 34-3 record and ranked No. 20 in the USA TODAY Super 25 national rankings. Mountain Brook won 23 straight games at the end of the season with a 15-point average margin of victory.
Over the last six seasons, Mountain Brook has gone 163-44. McMillan was named the Over the Mountain Journal’s Coach of the Year.
McMillan led Mountain Brook for another year and another state title in 2019. In April of 2020, McMillan was hired as the Samford University Men’s coach.
Photos
Records
Professional Achievements
Horizon High School
Kibler has coached 151 players who went on to play baseball in college and 34 players who have been drafted in the Major League Baseball Draft.
Kibler has coached 151 players who went on to play baseball in college and 34 players who have been drafted in the Major League Baseball Draft.
Eric Kibler
Horizon High School
Impact Statement
Kibler has coached 151 players who went on to play baseball in college and 34 players who have been drafted in the Major League Baseball Draft.
Biography
Kibler is the only baseball coach that Horizon has ever had. He began the program 38 years ago and this past season he won his 800th overall game, which makes him Arizona’s all-time winningest high school baseball coach. Kibler has led Horizon to six state championships (1995, 1996, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2010) with three state runner-up finishes.
He also led the school to 20 regional championships. Kibler has coached 151 players who have gone on to play college baseball. He’s had 34 players that have been drafted in the Major League Baseball Amateur Draft, three of whom have been taken in the first round. In 2015, Kibler was part of the coaching staff at USA Baseball 18U team that won a gold medal in the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup in Japan.
Photos
Oviedo High School
“Before the match we talked about enjoying the moment and not focusing on the end result. As long as we enjoyed the process we would be happy with the outcome.” – Jen Darty
“Before the match we talked about enjoying the moment and not focusing on the end result. As long as we enjoyed the process we would be happy with the outcome.” – Jen Darty
Jen Darty
Oviedo High School
Impact Statement
“Before the match we talked about enjoying the moment and not focusing on the end result. As long as we enjoyed the process we would be happy with the outcome.” – Jen Darty
Biography
Darty led Oviedo to the 2018 Florida Class 9A state title, which was the second in her eight years as head coach. The Lions were ranked No. 1 in the state when they beat Palm Beach Gardens High School in the state championship match 25-17, 25-15 and 25-10. Oviedo finished No. 15 in the MaxPreps Top 25 national rankings. “My kids did a good job of maximizing our execution, minimizing our errors and taking advantage of every opportunity,”
After her victory Darty told the Orlando Sentinel that “Before the match we talked about enjoying the moment and not focusing on the end result. As long as we enjoyed the process we would be happy with the outcome.”
This past season Oviedo finished 28-4, which gives her a lifetime record of 169-65. She has also been honored as the 2018 Florida Dairy Farmers Girls’ Volleyball Coach of the Year. Under Darty Oviedo won the 2013 Florida state title, plus her team finished runner-up in 2016.
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