Raethz garners IBCA hoops coach honor

HUNTLEY — Huntley High School head girls basketball coach Steve Raethz was honored by his peers as he was awarded as an Illinois Basketball Coaches Association(IBCA)District Coach of the Year.

Raethz was an award winner from District 6. The accolades were presented to winners at the IBCA Coach of the Year luncheon at Illinois State University’s Redbird Arena in Normal May 6.

“It was a very nice event and the IBCA does a great job of promoting basketball around the state and honoring the successes of players, coaches and teams,” Raethz said. “I’m appreciative to be honored by the IBCA but I think it is more importantly being recognized as this award speaks to the successful season that our team had and the hard work and efforts of our entire coaching staff. I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to coach a really good group of players and to coach alongside Clay Henricksen and Sam Green at the varsity level and Nick Andrea and Michelle Russell who do a phenomenal job coaching our frosh-soph and JV levels.”

Raethz has achieved 422 wins in 24 seasons at Huntley. This past season the Red Raiders posted a 28-5 record and went unbeaten in the Fox Valley Conference.

Raethz has won an IBCA District Coach of the Year honor eight times, for the 2002, 2003, 2013-16, 2022 and 2023 seasons.