Meet The Courier Journal's Sixth and Seventh Region basketball Coaches of the Year
Hired as Assumption High School’s basketball coach in July, Caryn Kovatch likened her first few months on the job to “speed dating.”
“We had a couple of weeks … I get to know you, you get to know me,” Kovatch said. “I was watching film on us in a December game, and I was like, ‘What team is that?’ We’re totally different, but that’s the beauty in coaching. We were able to switch up some things, and they’ve responded.”
Kovatch has settled in at Assumption and turned the program into one of the city’s best this season. The Rockets are 22-9 and captured the 26th District Tournament title Wednesday with a 74-62 victory over Male.
As a result, Kovatch has been voted The Courier Journal’s Seventh Region Coach of the Year.
Also taking Coach of the Year honors are Butler’s Candyce Wheeler (Sixth Region girls), St. Xavier’s Kevin Klein (Seventh Region boys) and Fairdale’s John Hunt (Sixth Region boys).
Here’s a look at the winners:
Assumption’s Caryn Kovatch
Kovatch received four votes from the eight coaches who returned ballots. Sacred Heart’s Donna Moir was the runner-up with two.
Kovatch came to Louisville with a successful basketball background. Then Caryn Schoff, she finished her high school career as New York’s career scoring leader, posting 3,548 points at St. Johnsville, a small school in Canajoharie, New York. She went on to play at Syracuse University.
Kovatch served as an assistant coach at Christian Academy before taking the Assumption job last summer. The Rockets will take a seven-game winning streak into the Seventh Region Tournament and have won 11 of their past 12 games.
“I did not expect to be at (22) wins,” said Kovatch, the vice president of strategic partnerships for a medical software company. “I looked at our schedule, and I knew the type of teams we were playing. … They are focused, they are smart, they are coachable. If you ask any coach what they want out of a team, it’s that.”
Butler’s Candyce Wheeler
Wheeler received four votes from the 13 coaches who returned ballots. Holy Cross’ Jacob Kaelin and Valley’s Dennis Williams received two apiece.
In her first season, Wheeler has helped turn around a proud Butler program that’s searching for its first Sixth Region title since 2017. The Bearettes took a 22-8 record into Thursday’s 22nd District Tournament final against Western.
Wheeler, who starred at the University of Louisville as Candyce Bingham, returned to the city after serving as an assistant coach on the college level at South Carolina Upstate and Buffalo.
“It’s one of the best years I’ve had coaching in a while,” Wheeler said. “High school, college, whatever, we’re winning. I know most colleges would want to be 22-8. Games are hard to win, I don’t care what level. It speaks volumes for my team, especially for my seniors who’ve had four coaches in four years. …
“It’s been great, but hopefully this isn’t it. I’m happy and blessed, but I want more for my team.”
Wheeler’s husband, Gary, is an assistant coach on her staff.
“It’s been really fun,” she said. “We’re together all day, but we have a great relationship. … He said he’s the reason I got Coach of the Year.”
St. Xavier’s Kevin Klein
Klein received five votes from the 17 coaches who returned ballots. Manual’s Miquel Coleman was the runner-up with four votes.
Klein had coached St. X to a 28-3 record and No. 7 state ranking entering Thursday’s 26th District Tournament final against Male. The Tigers have just one senior on the roster and are led in scoring by juniors Chance Dillingham and Will Hanke and sophomores Jeremiah Jackson and Chief Cameron.
St. X ranks second in the state in scoring at 83.3 points per game and averages 19 assists per game.
“(Youth) has not been mentioned at all this year around our locker room and in our program,” Klein said. “These guys are very mature for their age. They’ve played 31 games this year and 32 last year … and that’s almost three years’ worth in some states. All of those games have prepared us for what’s to come.”
The Tigers will be among the favorites in next week’s Seventh Region Tournament. They haven’t won a regional title since 1995, when Klein was a senior guard on the team.
“We just continue to get stronger as the season progresses,” Klein said. “That’s a sign of a good team. … Every team wants to peak come March, and we certainly believe our best basketball is still ahead of us.”
Fairdale’s John Hunt
Hunt received five votes from the 16 coaches who returned ballots. Evangel Christian’s Larry Miller and Holy Cross’ Matt Thomas received three apiece.
Hunt is in his first season as Fairdale’s boys basketball coach, leading the Bulldogs to a 25-6 record and a spot in Friday’s 21st District Tournament championship game against Holy Cross. He helped Fairdale to a third-place finish in the King of the Bluegrass Holiday Classic in December.
On Thursday, Jefferson County Public Schools announced Hunt has been reassigned to the bus depot in the midst of an investigation. JCPS did not provide any of the details that led to the investigation.
Fairdale athletics director David Hicks said Phil Board will serve as acting coach during Hunt's absence.
More high school basketball: Who will make KHSAA Sweet 16 fields at Rupp Arena? Predictions for boys, girls
Jason Frakes: 502-582-4046; jfrakes@courier-journal.com; Follow on X @kyhighs.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: KHSAA basketball: Sixth and Seventh Region Coaches of Year named
