Former Notre Dame Academy and Holy Cross High School girls basketball coach Kes Murphy is back in the game.
Murphy was announced Thursday as the new head coach of the St. Henry District High School girls basketball program, bringing more than a decade of success and championship experience with him.
Murphy compiled 309 wins over 15 seasons between Holy Cross and Notre Dame. During his eight-year tenure at Holy Cross, he guided the Lady Indians to 158 victories, highlighted by a state championship and an All “A” state title in 2015.
“He has a fantastic reputation here in Northern Kentucky and throughout the state,” St. Henry Athletic Director Jim Demler said. “Coach Murphy’s accolades speak for themselves and are honored to add a coach of his stature. Coach Murphy is a proven winner and always gets the very best from his players.”
He later spent seven seasons at Notre Dame, where he won 151 games and led the Pandas to three appearances in the 9th Region championship game, finishing runner-up each time.
“My wife and I are truly grateful for the opportunity to join the St. Henry family,” Murphy said. “I look forward to returning to the sideline alongside a strong coaching staff including longtime assistant Marty Rankin.”
Murphy replaces Dan Trame, who resigned in March after two seasons leading the Crusaders. Trame posted a 31-30 record during his tenure and helped the program make back-to-back appearances in both the 34th District championship and 9th Region tournament.
One of the highlights of last season came when St. Henry snapped an 18-game losing streak against Dixie Heights High School with a regular-season victory over the Colonels.
The Crusaders finished 17-13 last season and appeared poised for a strong postseason run before injuries took a toll late in the year. St. Henry entered the 9th Region quarterfinals missing three starters and fell 51-25 to eventual champion Notre Dame.
Despite those setbacks, Murphy inherits a roster with significant returning talent. Kelcey Bollman and Ellise Armbruster are the only departing seniors from last year’s squad.
Junior Joey Powers led the team with 11.4 points per game, while sophomores Anna Bain, Audrey Pieczonka, Gia Jones, Kenadi Sieg and Caroline Brannen headline a promising sophomore class.
The Crusaders showed flashes of their potential throughout the season, winning the Mercer County Tourism Clash tournament and defeating Ursuline Academy in the Crosstown Catholic Challenge during an 8-2 start. A Jan. 16 win over Dixie Heights improved St. Henry to 11-4 before injuries contributed to a difficult stretch late in the season.
Murphy now takes over a program aiming to reach heights it has not seen in several years. St. Henry last won a 34th District championship in 2014, while the program’s most recent All “A” 9th Region title came in 1996. The Crusaders’ last victory in the 9th Region Tournament was in 2012, capping a stretch of four consecutive region quarterfinal wins from 2009-12.