The Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association has announced Coach of the Year and Coaching Achievement awards for the 2025-26 season.
Headlining the list were the High School Coach of the Year recipients.
Isaiah Ketterhagen guided Oostburg to one of the most dominating seasons in state history, as the Flying Dutch went 30-0 to claim a second straight Division 3 championship. Along the way, Oostburg beat eight teams that advanced to the state tournament, including D1 champion Arrowhead, D1 semi-finalists Pewaukee and Notre Dame, D2 champion Whitefish Bay, D2 runner-up Beaver Dam, D3 runner-up Wisconsin Dells, D3 semi-finalist Mosinee, and D4 semi-finalist Saint Mary Catholic.
Ryan Walz of Wisconsin Lutheran is recognized as the WBCA Boys Basketball Coach of the Year for a second straight season, as the Vikings claimed their third consecutive state title. The team capped off a perfect 30-0 record with a second straight Division 1 championship after claiming the D2 crown in 2024. In addition to in-state prowess, the Vikings defeated Kentucky state champion George Rogers Clark and Texas 6A North Crowley during the season.
For the full list of WBCA Coach of the Year and Coaching Achievement Awards, please see below.
WBCA COACHING AWARDS
High School Boys: Ryan Walz, Wisconsin Lutheran
High School Girls: Isaiah Ketterhagen, Oostburg
College D-1 Men: Greg Gard, Wisconsin
College D-1 Women: Kayla Karius, UW-Green Bay
College D-2 Men: N/A
College D-2 Women: N/A
College D3 Men (Public): JT Grizmacher, UW-La Crosse
College D3 Men (Private): Kevin Hurd, Milwaukee School of Engineering
College D3 Women (Public): Brad Fischer, UW-Oshkosh
College D3 Women (Private): Lauren Busalacchi, Ripon
Junior College Mens: Randy Casey, Milwaukee Area Technical College
Junior College Womens: Angel Whetstone, Madison College
WBCA COACHING ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS
BOYS
D1: Joe Rux, Brookfield East
D2: Greg Van Grunsven, Menomonie
D3: Matt Klarner, Xavier
D4: Wade Georgeff, Howards Grove
D5: Dan Hoffa, Tigerton
GIRLS
D1: Will Green, Madison La Follette
D2: Stacy Skemp, Milton
D3: Troy Buelow, Winneconne
D4: Don Schindler, Deerfield
D5: John Zilla, Independence/Gillmanton
Travis Wilson serves as the Bound Wisconsin Manager. Wilson was selected as part of the Sports 40 Under 40 list by Coach & AD Magazine and the National High School Athletic Coaches Association for 2019. The Wisconsin Football Coaches Association (WFCA) named Travis the 2015 recipient of the Dave McClain Distinguished Service Award. He currently serves on the WFCA Executive Board and is a member of the Executive Board of the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association. A graduate of Richland Center High School and Mount Mercy College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Travis was a three-sport athlete in high school (football, baseball, basketball), inducted to the Richland Center High School Hall of Fame in 2023, and currently resides in Reedsburg. You can follow him on Twitter at @travisBound or reach him at [email protected].
