The National Federation of State High School Associations partners with the NCHSAA to recognize coaches of the year for the State of North Carolina. This year in North Carolina there were 19 coaches recognized as State Coaches of the year in their sports.
BASEBALL – Brett Harwood, Whiteville High School
Coach Harwood led the Wolfpack to back-to-back state championships but did so after moving up a classification to 2A following realignment. Harwood and the Wolfpack returned to the State Championship series, this time at 2A, and knocked out Ledford in a thrilling series 2 games to 1.
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL – William Knight, North Pitt High School
Coach Knight led the Lady Panthers from North Pitt to the 2A Women’s Basketball State Championship in 2017-2018. The Panthers went 26-5 on the season and were champions of the Eastern Plains 2A Conference. They defeated North Wilkes 63-42 in the State Championship.
MEN'S BASKETBALL – Jody Barbee, Cox Mill High School
Coach Barbee led the Chargers to a 29-3 record on the season, with a perfect 10-0 record in conference play. The Chargers won back-to-back 3A State Championships, holding off Northside-Jacksonville in a thrilling 3A final to snap the Monarchs 59 game winning streak.
WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY – Nick Mangum, Cardinal Gibbons High School
Mangum led the Crusaders women’s Cross Country team to their eighth straight NCHSAA State Cross Country Team Championship in the 2017 season. The Crusaders added another this past year in 2018.
MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY – Patrick Cromwell, Mount Tabor High School
Coach Cromwell helped lead Mount Tabor to their second team State Championship in Men’s Cross Country in three years when they claimed the 3A Championship in 2017 at the Ivey Redmon Complex in Kernersville.
WOMEN'S GOLF – Mike Williams, Rockingham County High School
Under the direction of Coach Mike Williams, the Rockingham County Women’s Golf Team won its third consecutive 3A Women’s Golf team State Championship, and Hailey Joy won the Individual Title. In 2018, the Cougars did it again, winning their fourth straight title.
MEN'S GOLF – Glen Patrick, Midway High School
With Coach Glen Patrick leading the way, Midway swept the 2A Team and Individual State Championships in 2018 for the school’s first Men’s Golf Championships. Logan Patrick won the individual tournament by 6 shots with the team winning by 28 shots.
WOMEN'S SOCCER – Nick Acosta, Fuquay-Varina High School
With Coach Nick Acosta at the helm, Fuquay-Varina went 18-4-2 on the year in a very tough South Wake Athletic Conference. The Bengals won a thrilling 1-0 decision in the 4A State Championship, stunning Myers Park to win the program’s first State Championship.
MEN'S SOCCER – Jason Curtis, Chapel Hill High School
In 2017 Coach Jason Curtis led the Tigers to a 23-4-1 record defeating A.C. Reynolds to win the 3A State Championship Game by a 2-0 scoreline. Curtis and the Tigers followed that up with a win in 2018’s State Title Game.
WOMEN'S SWIMMING & DIVING – Meredith Eyler, Hough High School
Coach Meredith Eyler helped push the Huskies Women’s Swimming and Diving team to their third straight team State Championship in 2018, dominating the 4A meet once again with numerous State Meet Record-setting performances across that three-year span.
MEN'S SWIMMING & DIVING – Kim Lewis, Raleigh Charter High School
With Coach Kim Lewis’ leadership and guidance, the Raleigh Charter Men’s Swimming & Diving team powered their way to the school’s first team State Championship in 2018. The Women’s Team also captured the State Championship that season.
WOMEN'S TENNIS – Pam Gilbert, Green Hope High School
Coach Pam Gilbert’s Falcons Women’s Tennis team completed a perfect 17-0 season in 2017 when they knocked out Myers Park in a battle of unbeatens in the 4A State Championship, holding on to a 5-3 victory in the dual meet.
MEN'S TENNIS – Ryan Griffin, Raleigh Charter High School
Coach Ryan Griffin helped guide the Raleigh Charter Men’s Tennis team to the 2018 State Championship in Dual Team, defeating Lincoln Charter 5-1 to capture their fourth straight 1A Dual Team State Championship.
WOMEN'S TRACK AND FIELD – Penny Johnson, Murphy High School
Coach Penny Johnson helped to push the Murphy Bulldogs Women’s Track and Field team to the school’s third team State Championship in the 1A Track & Field State Championships. The Championship was the school’s first in the sport since 1995.
MEN'S TRACK AND FIELD – Harold Crowder, Forest Hills High School
Coach Harold Crowder helped the Forest Hills Yellow Jackets achieve the school’s first team state championship in Men’s Track and Field winning the 2A Championship meet in 2018.
SOFTBALL – Jackie Day, South Granville High School
Coach Jackie Day led an impressive South Granville team to the School’s third state championship in softball in four years when they knocked off Franklin in the 2A State Championship series of 2018 to complete a perfect 27-0 campaign.
SPIRIT – Angela Stage, Davie County High School
Coach Angela Stage helped to pilot the Davie County War Eagle’s Cheerleading squad to the school’s first Carolina Cup Championship in the 2017 NCHSAA Cheerleading Invitational.
VOLLEYBALL – Steve Scanga, Carrboro High School
Coach Steve Scanga led the Jaguars Volleyball team to a 31-0 record in 2017 and the program’s second straight 2A State Championship as they beat West Iredell 3 games to 1 in the State Championship Match. The Jaguars only lost 3 games all season.
WRESTLING – Jamie Belk, Piedmont High School
Coach Jamie Belk guided the Piedmont Wrestling program to a second straight NCHSAA 3A Dual Team Wrestling State Championship in 2018, holding off Orange in the State Championship 33-31. The Panthers also claimed the Team Championship during the Individual State Tournament that season.
