Impact
Records
Karen Weitz
Centennial High School
Impact Statement
“When my kids graduate, they will be hard workers, they will be on time, they won’t take riff-raff from any ma. They are good, solid women.” -Karen Weitz
Biography
This past season, Weitz led her team to its fifth straight Nevada Class 4A state championship, a first in state girls’ basketball history. Centennial, which is currently ranked No. 4 in the USA TODAY Super 25 national rankings, will try to capture a “mythical” national championship in New York City later this week when it participates in the GEICO High School Nationals.
The 2018-19 season is the 25th for Weitz as a head coach. Her overall record currently stands at 673-81 with eleven overall state championships. In 2016, she was named National Coach of the Year by USA TODAY and MaxPreps.
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Records
Professional Achievements
Flagstaff High School
“You couldn’t ask for a better coach and we are just so fortunate to have someone like her as part of our program. I tell you the real beneficiaries are our students. They gain so much from her.”
-Jeannine Brandel, Flagstaff’s Athletic Director
“You couldn’t ask for a better coach and we are just so fortunate to have someone like her as part of our program. I tell you the real beneficiaries are our students. They gain so much from her.”
-Jeannine Brandel, Flagstaff’s Athletic Director
Trina Painter
Flagstaff High School
Impact Statement
“You couldn’t ask for a better coach and we are just so fortunate to have someone like her as part of our program. I tell you the real beneficiaries are our students. They gain so much from her.”
-Jeannine Brandel, Flagstaff’s Athletic Director
Biography
While Painter is being honored for her work with the Flagstaff girls’ cross country program, she could also win the award for leading the boys’ program. This past season, the Flagstaff girls won their fourth straight Division II state title. The boys’ team also won its fourth straight state team championship. Painter’s girls have won seven of the last eight titles with ten overall state championships since 2003. Painter is the 2018 U.S. Track & Field and Cross-Country Coaches Association’s Arizona Coach of the Year and the National Cross Country Coach of the Year by the National Federation of State High School Associations Coaches Association.
In 2011, Painter, who just missed making three straight United States’ Olympic teams as a distance runner, was inducted into the Arizona Runner’s Hall of Fame. In 1995, Painter set an US record with a time of 1:07:06 in the 20k championships that were held in New Haven.
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Articles
Records
Professional Achievements
Personal Honors
Lakeland High School
Sarsens holds over 1,000 career victories while leading her Field Hockey and Lacrosse teams to success.
Sarsens holds over 1,000 career victories while leading her Field Hockey and Lacrosse teams to success.
Sharon Sarsen
Lakeland High School
Impact Statement
Sarsens holds over 1,000 career victories while leading her Field Hockey and Lacrosse teams to success.
Biography
This past season was another outstanding one for Lakeland under the direction of Sarsen, who led her team to a 22-1 record and a runner-up finish in the New York State Class B field hockey state championships. Sarsen now owns 639 victories in her time at the head of the program.
She also coached school’s girls’ lacrosse team until 2015. She is still involved but finished her career with a record of 381-135-45. Her field hockey team’s second win of last season gave her a total of 1,000 victories combined in both sports.
Overall, Sarsen has led Lakeland Field Hockey to twelve state titles, including nine in a row between 2009 and 2017. Her lacrosse teams have won ten Section 1 titles and 12 league titles.
Sarsen is the second New York high school field hockey coach to receive the honor. Diane Chapman of Garden City High School won the award in 2006. Ironically, it was Chapman’s team that ended Lakeland’s run of nine straight state titles with a 1-0 win in mid-November. Last year, Sarsen was inducted into the Westchester Sports Hall of Fame.
In 2020, Sarsen was inducted into the New York Sports Hall of Fame. The following year, she was inducted into the NYSPHSAA Hall of Fame.
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Records
Professional Achievements
Plainview High School
Howard led her team to its third straight Oklahoma state title in the four years she’s been the head coach.
Howard led her team to its third straight Oklahoma state title in the four years she’s been the head coach.
Taylor Howard
Plainview High School
Impact Statement
Howard led her team to its third straight Oklahoma state title in the four years she’s been the head coach.
Biography
This past season Howard led her team to its third straight Oklahoma state title. This year’s state championship came at the 3A level after back-to-back wins in Class 4A. Over the last four years, Howard has also led the Lady Indians to a 29-5 record in matches.
Leading the charge to this year’s title was Reagan Chaney, who was also the state’s individual champ. Four Plainview golfers finished in the Top 10. Over the past four seasons, under the guidance of Coach Howard, the Lady Indians have had one player compete at the college level. There are two from the 2019 team that are headed to Oklahoma City University and Redlands.
Photos
Articles
Records
Professional Achievements
Personal Honors
Vestavia Hills High School
“I’m passionate about the game. I’m passionate about my kids. Everything I do is just for them. I think if you are selfless and you lead by serving first, then I think it can lead to better things.” -Brigid Meadow
“I’m passionate about the game. I’m passionate about my kids. Everything I do is just for them. I think if you are selfless and you lead by serving first, then I think it can lead to better things.” -Brigid Meadow
Brigid Meadow
Vestavia Hills High School
Impact Statement
“I’m passionate about the game. I’m passionate about my kids. Everything I do is just for them. I think if you are selfless and you lead by serving first, then I think it can lead to better things.” -Brigid Meadow
Biography
Meadow has built Vestavia Hills into a program that challenges for an Alabama state title year-in and year-out. Earlier this month, Meadow and her players won their second straight Alabama state title and third in the last four years. The Rebels finished the season with a perfect 23-0 and are currently ranked No. 3 in the USA TODAY Super 25 Spring Soccer national rankings.
Another highlight this year for Meadow, who just completed her 15th year as the program’s head coach, was her winning her 300th game. Her overall coaching record is 303-67-31 with five state championships.
Over the years, Meadow has been honored with Coach of the Year awards from the National Federation of State High School Associations and the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.
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Records
Personal Honors
Grantsville High School
“Without my family, coaching staff, my assistant coach Barry Pitt and our hard working athletes, none of it would even be possible.” -Heidi Taylor
“Without my family, coaching staff, my assistant coach Barry Pitt and our hard working athletes, none of it would even be possible.” -Heidi Taylor
Heidi Taylor
Grantsville High School
Impact Statement
“Without my family, coaching staff, my assistant coach Barry Pitt and our hard working athletes, none of it would even be possible.” -Heidi Taylor
Biography
Earlier this month, Taylor and her team won the school’s third straight Utah state championship. Grantsville got its Class 3A three-peat by sweeping Manti in two straight games in the championship round. Since taking over as the school’s head softball coach, Taylor’s teams have won over 70-percent of their games.
Many of her student-athletes have gone on to play college softball, basketball and volleyball. “I am so appreciative of this honor,” said Taylor after being informed of being named the NHSCA National Softball Coach of the Year. “Without my family, coaching staff, my assistant coach Barry Pitt and our hard working athletes, none of it would even be possible.”
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Records
Andover High School
“I knew that every single one of the girls that I coached could do more than she thought she could do and when that day came when they were able to succeed beyond what they believed it was magic.” -Marilyn Fitzgerald
“I knew that every single one of the girls that I coached could do more than she thought she could do and when that day came when they were able to succeed beyond what they believed it was magic.” -Marilyn Fitzgerald
Marilyn Fitzgerald
Andover High School
Impact Statement
“I knew that every single one of the girls that I coached could do more than she thought she could do and when that day came when they were able to succeed beyond what they believed it was magic.” -Marilyn Fitzgerald
Biography
Fitzgerald retired at the end of the 2018-19 school year after leading her team to another undefeated season and the Massachusetts Division I team championship, the school’s 18th in the last nineteen years. The team finished a perfect 16-0 this past season, running its win streak to 60 straight meets over the last four seasons.
At the state meet, Fitzgerald’s Warriors won seven gold medals in the 12 events, finishing with a dominating 518 points for the program’s fifth straight Division 1 state title.
As reported by the Andover Townsman, after announcing her retirement, Fitzgerald told the team, “Whether we were winning state championships or dealing with devastating news, I have never once regretted being your coach. The wins have been the frosting on the cake to watching you all do more than you thought possible.”
In June of 2020, Fitzgerald was named one of the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women honorees. According to the MCSW’s website, “the mission of the Commission is to provide a permanent, effective voice for women and girls across Massachusetts.”
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Community Service
Fitzgerald was also a volunteer at the Merrimack Valley YMCA for decades.
Records
Professional Achievements
The Seven Hills School
“I am most proud of the way my players keep the standards of great sportsmanship and high values while competing…the way tennis was meant to be played.”
-Tim Drew
“I am most proud of the way my players keep the standards of great sportsmanship and high values while competing…the way tennis was meant to be played.”
-Tim Drew
Tim Drew
The Seven Hills School
Impact Statement
“I am most proud of the way my players keep the standards of great sportsmanship and high values while competing…the way tennis was meant to be played.”
-Tim Drew
Biography
Drew has had an outstanding 30-year career at Seven Hills with an overall record (boys’ and girls’ teams) of 789-280. His record with the boys’ team is 430-121 with 19 Miami Valley Conference League titles, considered the premier conference in Ohio when it comes to Division 2 tennis.
Drew has been named Miami Valley Conference Coach of the Year 23 times as head coach of the boys’ team and COY twelves times as the head coach of the girls’ team. In 2012 Drew was honored by the Ohio Tennis Coaches Association with the Sportsmanship, Ethics and Integrity Award.
Photos
Records
Professional Achievements
Stonington High School
“You want to instill in them a competitive spirit. I’ve always been a competitor in whatever game I play. Do the best you can and try not to settle for just being out there. Try to play to win.” -George Crouse
“You want to instill in them a competitive spirit. I’ve always been a competitor in whatever game I play. Do the best you can and try not to settle for just being out there. Try to play to win.” -George Crouse
George Crouse
Stonington High School
Impact Statement
“You want to instill in them a competitive spirit. I’ve always been a competitor in whatever game I play. Do the best you can and try not to settle for just being out there. Try to play to win.” -George Crouse
Biography
Crouse hit a couple of huge milestones during the 2018-19 season. Not only did he pick up his 500th career win as the head coach of the Stonington girls’ tennis team, but he also won his 800th victory as the head coach of both the girls’ and boys’ teams.
Crouse’s record with the girls’ team stands at 510-106, after a 15-2 season that saw his team advance to the Connecticut Class S state quarterfinals. His record with the boys’ team was 304-114 from 1974-2000. This season Crouse’s squad shared the Eastern Connecticut Conference Division championship.
Coming into the season, the Lady Bears had won five straight titles and 13 of the last 14 championships. In 2013, Crouse, who has won numerous Coach of the Year awards, led Stonington to its first-ever girls’ tennis state championship.
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Records
Lake Hamilton High School
“I enjoy trying to coach my kids and give them the wonderful experience I had.” -Karl Koonce
“I enjoy trying to coach my kids and give them the wonderful experience I had.” -Karl Koonce
Karl Koonce
Lake Hamilton High School
Impact Statement
“I enjoy trying to coach my kids and give them the wonderful experience I had.” -Karl Koonce
Biography
After over four decades of coaching track and field and cross country at Lake Hamilton, Koonce is retiring. During his 46 years as a head coach, Koonce has led the school to 29 state championships and 45 state runner-up finishes. Koonce has coached 12 All Americans in Track and Field.
Koonce has been named Arkansas Coach of the Year 18 times. He’s also been a five-time Section Coach of the Year for Arkansas, Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Colorado, plus National Coach of the Year for Boys Track in 2009. He was the US Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association State Cross Country Coach of the Year last year.
Koonce is the first Arkansas coach to be named the NHSCA National Girls’ Track & Field Coach of the Year.
Koonce was honored in 2019 as the NFHS Coach of the Year. Additionally, he was inducted into the Arkansas Activities Association Hall of Fame. As an athlete himself he won the AIC championship in the mile run and was a 1973 NAIA finalist in the event. He was inducted into the Henderson State University Hall of Fame in 2003.
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Records
Professional Achievements
Personal Honors
Blair Academy
“You need to lose sometimes and when you do, you’ve got to learn from it.” – Brian Antonelli
“You need to lose sometimes and when you do, you’ve got to learn from it.” – Brian Antonelli
Brian Antonelli
Blair Academy
Impact Statement
“You need to lose sometimes and when you do, you’ve got to learn from it.” – Brian Antonelli
Biography
All Antonelli has done in his four years as the school’s head coach is lead the Buccaneers to four straight NHSCA/USA TODAY Super 25 national championships. Blair nailed down the national title with an impressive showing at the Prep Nationals. The Bucs won the national tournament, outscoring No. 2 Wyoming Seminary (Kingston, Pennsylvania) 354-325.
Blair also tied the all-time Prep Nationals record by crowning nine overall individual champs. Antonelli also led the Bucs to team championships at the Beast of the East, Geary and Ironman individual championships.
“Wrestling one of the toughest schedules in the country and going through it undefeated is a huge accomplishment for our guys,” said Brian Antonelli. “Blair wrestlers competed hard, and they represented the School with class the entire season. We are thankful for the support we received throughout, and we are proud of concluding the high school season with a national championship.”
Antonelli joins legendary coach Jeff Buxton as a NHSCA National Wrestling Coach of the Year. Coach Buxton won the award in 1997 while leading the helm at Blair Academy.
Since being honored, Antonelli led his Bucs to a second place finish at the 2020 National Preps.
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Records
Lancaster High School
After 38 state champions (boys and girls, indoor and outdoor), many more Section VI champions, Carriero leaves behind a legacy at Lancaster High School.
After 38 state champions (boys and girls, indoor and outdoor), many more Section VI champions, Carriero leaves behind a legacy at Lancaster High School.
Kevin Carriero
Lancaster High School
Impact Statement
After 38 state champions (boys and girls, indoor and outdoor), many more Section VI champions, Carriero leaves behind a legacy at Lancaster High School.
Biography
After nearly a half-century of coaching track and field at Lancaster, Carriero stepped-down as the head coach of both the boys’ and girls’ teams. He’s coached 38 state champions (boys and girls, indoor and outdoor), many more Section VI champions, nearly 30 boys’ division-title winning teams (outdoor and indoor) and 17 girls division team winners.
About a week ago, Carriero told WKBW-TV, “I pinch myself sometimes and say, how can anybody be so lucky, to be in a community and in a group of people for so long and be like brothers? I’m the luckiest guy in the world.”
Photos
Records
Personal Honors
Seven Hills School
“I am most proud of the way my players keep the standards of great sportsmanship & high values while competing. –Tim Drew
“I am most proud of the way my players keep the standards of great sportsmanship & high values while competing. –Tim Drew
Tim Drew
Seven Hills School
Impact Statement
“I am most proud of the way my players keep the standards of great sportsmanship & high values while competing. –Tim Drew
Biography
Drew has had an outstanding 30-year career at Seven Hills with an overall record (boys’ and girls’ teams) of 789-280. His record with the boys’ team is 430-121 with 19 Miami Valley Conference League titles, considered the premier conference in Ohio when it comes to Division 2 tennis.
Drew has been named Miami Valley Conference Coach of the Year 23 times as head coach of the boys’ team and COY twelves times as the head coach of the girls’ team. In 2012, Drew was honored by the Ohio Tennis Coaches Association with the Sportsmanship, Ethics and Integrity Award.
Drew has said, “I am most proud of the way my players keep the standards of great sportsmanship & high values while competing;the way tennis was meant to be played.”
Photos
Professional Achievements
San Angelo Central High School
” It’s more about swimming properly and enjoying the sport, and continuing to get better as you get older. That’s my priority.” – David Hague
” It’s more about swimming properly and enjoying the sport, and continuing to get better as you get older. That’s my priority.” – David Hague
David Hague
San Angelo Central High School
Impact Statement
” It’s more about swimming properly and enjoying the sport, and continuing to get better as you get older. That’s my priority.” – David Hague
Biography
Hague retired at the end the 2018-19 swim season after leading the Bobcats’ boys’ and girls’ programs for 41 years. Both the boys’ and girls’ teams sent Coach Hague out on top by winning the District 2-6A championships. It was the ninth straight district title for the Bobcats, making them winners of 13 of the last 15 titles. On the girls’ side of things, it was the 10th title in the last 13 years for the Lady Cats.
His illustrious career includes 33 combined district championships, two regional championships, 43 combined District Coach of the Year awards and eight combined Regional Coach of the Year selections. Coach Hague was the Texas Class 6A State Boys’ Coach of the Year in 2016.
As an athlete, Hague was an all-state and all-New England high school swimmer at Cranston, Rhode Island. He was also a NCAA Division II All-American while competing at Keene State College in New Hampshire. Hague still regularly participates in U.S. Masters Swimming. He’s won, often finishing among the top 10 in his age group.
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Videos
Professional Achievements
Personal Honors
Naperville North High School
Konrad has led Naperville North to four state championships.
Konrad has led Naperville North to four state championships.
Jim Konrad
Naperville North High School
Impact Statement
Konrad has led Naperville North to four state championships.
Biography
The 2018-19 school year saw Konrad lead his school to its third straight Illinois 3A state championship. The Huskies perfect 26-0 record landed the team a No. 2 ranking in USA TODAY’s Fall Super 25 national rankings. The school was ranked No. 1 by MaxPreps.
Overall, Konrad has led Naperville North to four state titles and an overall record of 276-58-27 in 15 years at the helm of the program. Konrad’s teams have captured 13 conference titles, 12 regional championships and six sectional crowns. Konrad was also honored this past season as the United Soccer Coaches National High School Coach of the Year.
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Articles
Videos
Records
Professional Achievements
St. Joseph's Preparatory School
“Failure is not fatal. Failure is a part of the process.”
-Gabe Infante
“Failure is not fatal. Failure is a part of the process.”
-Gabe Infante
Gabe Infante
St. Joseph's Preparatory School
Impact Statement
“Failure is not fatal. Failure is a part of the process.”
-Gabe Infante
Biography
This past season, Infante led St. Joe’s to its fourth state championship in the last six years in Pennsylvania’s largest classification. In nine years as the school’s head football coach, Infante led the program to a 91-22 career record. Over the last three seasons, the Hawks finished with a 40-1 record. The 2018 season was special as the Hawks finished No. 4 in the High School Football America 100 national rankings, No. 6 in the USA TODAY Super 25 and a No. 11 in MaxPreps’ Xcellent 25.
In an interview with the NHSCA, Infante said “I’ve told a lot of young coaches, ‘Failure is not fatal’. If you’re afraid of failure and you don’t have a plan for that you’re not going to be very successful because of a lot of times, future success depends on how you handle those moments”
While being named the National Coach of the Year, Infante stated it’s not what means the most. “Those are the things that are most rewarding – the relationships, where guys come back and they still talk about the things that you told them. To hear them come back and tell you what that’s meant to them and how it’s impacted their lives, wow, man! That’s what it’s about!”
After an impressive season, Infante left St. Joe’s and took a job at Temple University, where is the running backs coach. He has served in many capacities as part of USA Football’s national teams, including serving the head coach of the Under-17 team last season. Infante was the U.S. Army National Coach of the Year in 2017.
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Articles
Records
Professional Achievements
Personal Honors
Langley High School
“There isn’t a year gone by where I don’t feel like I’ve learned something. I think you need to have the kind of mindset where you’re constantly learning.” – Al Berg
“There isn’t a year gone by where I don’t feel like I’ve learned something. I think you need to have the kind of mindset where you’re constantly learning.” – Al Berg
Al Berg
Langley High School
Impact Statement
“There isn’t a year gone by where I don’t feel like I’ve learned something. I think you need to have the kind of mindset where you’re constantly learning.” – Al Berg
Biography
In nearly a quarter-of-a-century of coaching, Berg has made Langley into one of the best high school golf programs in Virginia. “One of the things that I’ve tried to focus on with the kids is making sure that they understand that this is not a game of a straight line going up in terms of how you progress. It’s more like the stock market. It goes up and down. But if you stand back and look at it over a long period of time, you’ll see that the general move has been up.”
Last fall, Berg led the Saxons to their third straight state championship in Virginia’s largest classification. Langley won the state title by 11-shots over runner-up Lake Braddock. Berg has led Langley to five of its seven overall state championships. In addition, his teams have won 17 district championships in 22 years with over 50 team tournament wins. His only losing match record came in his first year of coaching.
Off-the-course, Coach Berg has sent numerous golfers, both boys and girls student-athletes, on to play Division I college golf. Since retiring from teaching, Berg drives over 100 miles one-way from Richmond to northern Virginia to continue coaching at Langley.
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South Central High School
This past season Coach Chery led South Central to the Class 4A State Championship, the first in the school’s history!
This past season Coach Chery led South Central to the Class 4A State Championship, the first in the school’s history!
Chris Cherry
South Central High School
Impact Statement
This past season Coach Chery led South Central to the Class 4A State Championship, the first in the school’s history!
Biography
This past season, Coach Cherry led South Central to the Class 4A state championship, the first in the school’s history.
The team capped off the season finishing 6th on USA TODAY Super 25 rankings with a 30-1 record. In eight of the nine years as South Central’s head coach, Cherry’s teams have won at least 20 games. His career record in 20 years as a head coach is 455-103 with 15 regular season conference championships.
Cherry led South Central to a Class 3A state runner-up finish in 2011. When he was head coach at Plymouth High School (North Carolina), he led the school to a state runner-up finish in Class 1A.
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Records
Bishop Hendricken High School
Doyle lead Hendricken to the 20 of the school’s 24 overall state cross country championships.
Doyle lead Hendricken to the 20 of the school’s 24 overall state cross country championships.
Jim Doyle
Bishop Hendricken High School
Impact Statement
Doyle lead Hendricken to the 20 of the school’s 24 overall state cross country championships.
Biography
This past season saw Doyle lead Hendricken to the school’s 24th overall state cross country championship. Twenty of those titles have come under the direction of Doyle. He also coaches the school’s indoor and outdoor track and field teams. His runners followed-up the state title with a fourth place finish at the prestigious Nike Cross Nationals in Oregon in December.
In 2017, Doyle was inducted into the Rhode Island Interscholastic League Athletic Hall of Fame. At the time he was called was called one of the most successful high school coaches in any sport with over 50 state championships in cross country, indoor and outdoor track and field. Doyle has also been honored by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association as the Rhode Island Cross Country Coach of the Year for 2018.
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Videos
Records
Professional Achievements
Barbe High School
In 2018 Cecchini was inducted into the Louisiana High School Sports Hall of Fame.
In 2018 Cecchini was inducted into the Louisiana High School Sports Hall of Fame.
Glenn Cecchini
Barbe High School
Impact Statement
In 2018 Cecchini was inducted into the Louisiana High School Sports Hall of Fame.
Biography
Cecchini became the 13th high school baseball coach in the nation to win over 900 baseball games during his career. This season, Cecchini led Barbe to its 10th overall Louisiana state championship with an 8-2 win over Sam Houston in the Class 5A state championship. His team is currently ranked No. 7 in the USA TODAY Super 25 national rankings. Cecchini’s 2014 team was named national champs. In 2018, Cecchini was inducted into the Louisiana High School Sports Hall of Fame for his outstanding career that has spanned three decades.
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Videos
