Sports in Kansas has released its annual list of coach of the year winners across the seven classifications in Kansas. A media panel of over 45 members in Kansas vote to compile finalists and winners annually.
Capsules are provided by Chet Kuplen of Sports in Kansas. Media day at the McPherson Community Building was handled by Chet Kuplen, Keaton Coad, Brett Cleland of Sports in Kansas. Along with Carol Swenson who talked to our winners about the McPherson Globe Refiners, the first Olympic Gold Medal Basketball Team. Photos by John Biehler Jr. for Sports in Kansas. Postseason honors are powered by Watco, Mammoth, Nex-Tech Wireless, SAFE, Lewis Automotive Group and McPherson Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Sports in Kansas 6A Boys Coach of the Year
David Birch, SM Northwest
Birch led Northwest to the 6A state championship with an undefeated season, knocking off state powerhouse Wichita Heights in the title game. Birch is 72-20 at Northwest with a perfect 8-0 record in sub-state games over the last four seasons. He is 3-3 at SMNW in state title games with winning all three state tournament games this season and losing in the first round the last three seasons. The Cougars were also Sunflower League Champions this season. He was also the head coach at Piper in 2020 taking them to the Forever Four and was the Sports in Kansas 2020 4A Coach of the Year. He was also the assistant coach at Blue Valley Northwest on three state championship teams (2017, 2018, 2019) while going 66-9 assisting legendary coach Ed Fritz. Birch is 94-21 in his career as a head coach. Look for a bright future as two of Birch’s first team 6A all-state players will be back for next season in Keaton Wagler and Ethan Taylor.
Sports in Kansas 5A Boys Coach of the Year
Steve Eck, Kapaun
Legendary coach Steve Eck captured his seventh state championship as a head basketball coach and his first one at Kapaun where he is 66-7 over the last three seasons. Eck has 1,044 wins and 170 losses in his career for an incredible 86% win percentage. Eck won six state titles at Wichita South in the 1980s and 1990s in 13 years with the program in 6A. He also won two junior college national titles as head coach at Redlands (OK) and Hutchinson Community College. He also had a national runner up at Redlands. Eck has seven state titles in 13 years as a boys high school basketball coach. He was 227-15 at Wichita South in 10 years. He is a member of the Wichita Sports Hall of Fame, Wichita South Hall of Fame, Haven High School Hall of Fame, National Junior College Hall of Fame and was twice the National Junior College Coach of the Year. Coach Eck is one of the best to ever do it. His seven titles are tied for third all-time, with the record being Walter Shublom of KC Wyandotte with 10.
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Congrats to Kapaun on winning the 5A state title and Steve Eck on winning coach of the year as well as Will Thengvall on his top 5 all-classes selection.Marine World is proud to support KMC basketball, visit us online at www.marineworld.com
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Sports in Kansas 4A Boys Coach of the Year/All-Classes Coach of the Year
Kurt Kinnamon, McPherson
Kansas coaching legend Kurt Kinnamon led the Bullpups to the 2024 4A state championship by defeating Hugoton in overtime. It marked the seventh state championship for Kinnamon at McPherson (1996, 1999, 2003, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2024). He also has six state runner-up finishes in his 29 years at the school. He has an incredible 571-118 record as a head coach with 21 state tournaments and 18 final fours. McPherson has 14 all-time titles as a program, second most in Kansas history. They have also played in 28 state boys basketball championship games, second in Kansas history. Kinnamon has two undefeated teams at Mac (2015, 2024). His seven titles are tied for third all-time, with the record being Walter Shublom of KC Wyandotte with 10. Basketball runs in the family as his younger brother, Clint (current HC at Remington), has five state titles as a head coach, all at St. John, where the Kinnamon brothers graduated from.
Sports in Kansas 3A Boys Coach of the Year
Rick O’Neil, Wellsville
O’Neil led Wellsville to the 3A state championship with an incredible postseason run where they were the underdog to many and proved everyone wrong in 2024. Wellsville captured their first state title in boys basketball in 30 years (1994). O’Neil has led many programs across the state including St. Paul, Louisburg, Towanda Circle, Great Bend, Spring Hill and Wellsville, compiling an impressive 641-447 record as a head coach. O’Neil defeated Goodland, 68-58, in this years 3A title game in Hutchinson. The Eagles finished with a 23-3 record this season and defeated Beloit in the semifinal (68-49) and Ellsworth (48-38) in the quarterfinals.
Sports in Kansas 2A Boys Coach of the Year
Dustan Kanitz, Moundridge
Kanitz had the tall task in replacing legendary coach Vance Unrau and did so by winning the 2A state championship with a 23-3 record to claim the 2A state title over Lyndon. Kanitz spent 19 years at McPherson prior to Moundridge and was an assistant coach on four state championships in basketball, coachmed middle school football and coached eight jumpers in track and field to a state championship. Two of his four boys were also on his state championship basketball team this year in senior Kreighton and sophomore Kaizer, who are both standout athletes for Moundridge.
Sports in Kansas 1A-I Boys Coach of the Year
Mark Applegate, South Gray
Mark Applegate has captured five state titles (1997, 2007, 2008, 2018, 2024) at South Gray with an incredible 793 wins and 230 losses in 42 years, all at SG. Applegate captured the 2024 1A-I title by defeating Bishop Seabury, 76-63. The Rebels finished the season with a 24-2 record. South Gray beat Olpe (68-62) in the semifinals and Canton-Galva (79-43) in the quarterfinals. Applegate has reached the title game 11 times and has six state runner-up finishes, along with 13 total Final Fours.
Sports in Kansas 1A-II Boys Coach of the Year
Bob Stackhouse, Cunningham
Stackhouse led the Cunningham boys to their first ever state title by capturing the 1A-II crown over Lebo in Great Bend, 60-55. Cunningham knocked off Dighton (61-58) in the semifinals while defeating Bucklin (70-66) in the quarterfinals. Stackhouse has been a coach since 1985 when he was the Stafford boys coach from 1985-1988. He has also been an assistant at Rose Hill (1988-1990) and Cunningham boys (1990-1999, 2004-2007). He has been the head coach of the boys program on two difference occasions (2014-2016) and 2018 to present, while also serving as the girls assistant in that time frame. Cunningham has seen a lot of recent boys sports success, also winning a state title in the 2022 football season in the 6-man classification.
Sports in Kansas 6A Girls Coach of the Year
Mark Western, SM South
Mark Western led Shawnee Mission South to the 6A state championship after taking over the program in 2019. He has made back to back state tournaments in the class. Prior to SMS he was the head coach at Schlagle where he went 87-28 with four state tournament appearances including a third place finish in 2019. Western is 164-61 in his career. South defeated Washburn Rural, 47-37, in the 6A state title game in Wichita.
Sports in Kansas 5A Girls Coach of the Year
Matt Tinsley, Seaman
Tinsley led Topeka Seaman to the 5A state title in 2024, defeating Maize South 54-41, becoming the first team in eight years besides Aquinas to win a state title. He is 117-43 as the head coach at Seaman. An alum of the school he has also been named league coach of the year on four different occasions in either the United Kansas League or Centennial League. Tinsley was also the head boys coach at St. Marys (2006-2008) and Jefferson West (2008-12). He was a four year member of the Washburn University basketball team and was on the 2001 National Runner-Up Team.
Sports in Kansas 4A Girls Coach of the Year
Eric Adams, Wellington
Adams is in his 12th season as the Wellington girls head coach and led them to their best finish in school history, taking second in 4A to state powerhouse Bishop Miege. He is 205-69 as the head coach of the Crusaders with seven trips to the state tournament. In addition to this years runner-up, he also has a state third place finish and a fourth place finish. The program has won four AVTCL-IV league titles. He told us he owes a lot of his basketball background to current Bethen AD Tim Swartzendruber.
Sports in Kansas 3A Girls Coach of the Year/All-Classes Coach of the Year
Kyle Porter, Silver Lake
Porter is 85-15 at Silver Lake to go along with his undefeated state championship this season in 3A. The Eagles took fourth place in 2023, third in 2022 and a first round exit in 2001 with this group of seniors. It was the first time SL went to the state tournament in girls basketball four years in a row. Porter carries a 130-43 record in his career and also has a state championship at Royal Valley in 3A (2019) an a runner-up (2018). He was the 2019 Sports in Kansas 3A Coach of the Year at Royal Valley. Hesston won the 3A state championship game this season in Hutchinson over Hesston, 66-61.
Sports in Kansas 2A Girls Coach of the Year (two w/ tie in voting)
Abby Farabi, Colgan
Farabi is 92-7 at Colgan over the last four seasons with a third-place finish in both 2023 and 2024. They also took runner-up with this group of seniors in 2021 as freshman, while had a first round exit in the 2A tourney in 2022. Colgan was 71-3 the last three seasons with all of their losses coming at the state tournament, two of those in the semifinals. Farabi is in her 13th year as the head coach with a 229-79 record. In 2021 she led Colgan to their first ever state tournament win. The school now has six state tournament wins, all under Farabi, since 2021. Coaching success runs in the family as her sister, Cassie Rhuems, is a three-time state champion softball coach for Frontenac (3A). Colgan lost in this years semifinal to eventual state champion Wichita Independent, 48-40, before defeating Valley Heights in the third place game, 58-47.
Craig Burnes, Riverside
Burnes, in his second year with the Riverside program, has been a high school girls basketball coach for seven years. He has led the Riverside program to back to back state runner-up finishes in 2A over the last two seasons. The first five years of his coaching started at Mic-Buchannan High School in Faucet, Missouri. He was part of a team that made the Class 2 Missouri State Championship Game. Burnes has won 57 games over the last two seasons for the Cyclones. He tells us how fun his first two years have been and it says it would not have happened without his assistants, Holly Dodson and Bruce Starks. Burnes plays in a very battle tested Big 7 league that features a majority of 3A opponents along with a 4A school. Riverside beat Hoxie and Valley Heights in the first two rounds of this years state tournament before falling to Wichita Independent, 58-39, in the title game.
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Congratulations to Craig Burnes as Coach of the Year in Girls 2A-Basketball from Sports in Kansas!!!On behalf of Coaches Dodson & Coach Stark’s, the Burnes Family, Howard/Langley Family, Jen, Mikal/Anna, and Jacob Lewandowski (owner) Avantex Marketing at: http:avantexmarketing.com along with the “Storm Chasers”; Friends/Family , the communities of: Riverside USD 114 Riverside HS in Elwood/Wathena, KS, our friends from Mid-Buchanan/Faucett, MO….We are ALL so proud of you both for your hard work and dedication! We can’t wait to see what is next!
Congrats to the Riverside girls basketball team on another outstanding season. The Riverside Booster Club is proud of you. Also a big congrats to Coach Burnes on 2A Sports in Kansas Coach of the Year!
Congrats to Coach Craig Burnes, Coach of the Year. You make us PROUD!!! Clif Burnes C: 816-390-5697, O: 816-452-4200, Home Partners Real Estate Team of EWN – Keller Williams Kansas City North, LLC
Yates Limousine and family would like to congratulate Coach Burnes, he has been a blessing to our surrounding community. Sheila Yates – Yates Limousine Service. 816-364-3407. www.yateslimo.com
Sports in Kansas 1A-I Girls Coach of the Year
Brian Ebert, Frankfort
Ebert, an alum of Rock Creek High School and Emporia State, came to Frankfort in August of 2000. For the first 14 years of his career he was the head basketball coach of the boys program. He led the team to a state title in 2012, runner-up in 2004 and two third place finishes (2007, 2008). In 2016-2017, he took over the girls program and has been in the sub-state championship seven teams. Frankfort plays in the best 2A and below league in the state with many contenders featuring Centralia, Valley Heights, Clifton-Clyde, Hanover, and Doniphan West. Last season Frankfort took third before becoming the state champions this season by knocking off the top three seeds, including previously undefeated Little River (47-41) in the championship. Ebert is 367-157 as a head coach of both programs combined, 218-11 with the boys and 149-46 with the girls. Not many coaches can say they have a boys title and a girls title at the same school. Ebert’s oldest daughter, Emilee, was a former SIK all-state selection and played collegiate basketball at both Kansas State and Oklahoma State, while his youngest daughter, Breleigh, is a junior on this years state championship team. He is also the head golf coach at Frankfort.
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Congrats to the Frankfort girls basketball team on this years 1A_I state championship. Also congrats to 1A-I Coach of the Year Brian Ebert. The Frankort Wildcat Boosters are proud of our teams and proud supporters of Frankfort student athletes.
Sports in Kansas 1A-II Girls Coach of the Year
Christopher Beikmann, Hanover
Beikmann has been the head coach of the Hanover girls program for the last eight seasons after being an assistant for the previous six seasons. He has also been an assistant of the highly successful Hanover football program for 15 years. Beikmann is 174-26 as the head coach and game 200 coached in his career was a state championship win in the 2024 state tournament over Lebo, 50-35. Hanover has been to the state tournament 13 times in school history and Beikmann has taken the program to seven of those. He has four state titles as the head coach (2024, 2023, 2018, 2017) along with a Forever Four finish in the Covid 2020 season. This is his fourth time earning SIK coach of the year honors in 1A-II. Hanover plays in the highly competitive Twin Valley league with state contenders Centralia, Frankfort, Doniphan West, Valley Heights and Clifton Clyde, arguably the best 2A and below league in the state.
