High school coaches with most state championships

Jim Tate coached and taught at St. Paul's Episcopal (Mobile, Ala.) for 42 years, producing over 100 state championships in cross country and track and field. Tate ranks No. 1 on the list of coaches with the most all-time high school sports state championships.

After brief stints at schools in South Carolina and Georgia, Tate arrived at St. Paul's in the fall of 1978. He coached boys and girls cross country, boys and girls indoor track and boys and girls outdoor track and field. He produced his first state championship team in 1983 and after that came an avalanche of titles. Consider this: between 1984 and 2001, Tate won AT LEAST two state championships a year. After a four-year drought between 2002 and 2005, Tate's teams averaged over two state titles a year from 2005-06 to 2017-18. He retired in the spring of 2020.

Tate won six state titles during both the 1984-85 and 1994-95 school year. He won five state championships in a single school year three others times, four state titles five times and three state titles nine times. He won nine championships in boys cross country, 18 in girls cross country, 11 in boys indoor track and 22 in girls indoor track, 17 in boys outdoor track and 23 in girls outdoor track. He also won a freshman state championship and a junior high school state championship (which were at one time contested in the state of Alabama). The total could have been much higher. Tate's teams finished in second place a total of 53 times across the six sports.

Second on the list is Dale Phillips of Marquette (Mich.), who won 70 titles in cross country and track. Phillips' titles were "Upper Peninsula" championships as Michigan divides some of its sports into Upper State and Lower State competitions.



We found 129 coaches with at least 20 state championships or more. The majority of those coached cross country or track and field or a combination of the two. A total of 48 coaches had either of the two sports on their resume including 11 of the top 12 coaches on the list. Swimming was also popular with 22 coaches participating in that sport.

Punahou (Honolulu, Hawaii), which has won over 500 state championships, had the most coaches on the list with six. Westminster (Atlanta, Ga.) was next with three.

Terry Lowe of Greenwich (Conn.) had the most state championships while coaching just one sport. He has won 45 state championships in boys swimming.

Can any coach catch Tate? Probably not, but the best bet might be Patrick Castagno of Tatnall (Wilmington, Del.). Like Tate, Castagno coaches cross country, indoor track and outdoor track for both the boys and the girls. Since 2001, Castagno has 49 state championships.

Corrections or additions? Email Kevin Askeland at kevinaskeland65@gmail.com.

Coaches with most state championships

Nos. 1-10
102 — Jim Tate, St. Paul's Episcopal (Mobile, Ala.), cross country, track and field
70 — Dale Phillips, Marquette (Mich.), cross country, track and field
69 — Pat Galle, UMS-Wright Prep (Mobile, Ala.), cross country, track and field
68 — Greg Echols, Mountain Brook (Birmingham, Ala.), cross country, track and field
68 — Dave Houle, Mountain View (Orem, Utah), cross country, track and field, girls basketball
64 — Jim Doyle, Bishop Hendricken (Warwick, R.I.), cross country, track and field
60 — Claney Duplechin, Episcopal (Baton Rouge, La.), cross country, track and field
56 — Dave Hawley, Collegiate (Wichita, Kan.), tennis
52 — Pete Boudreaux, Catholic-B.R. (Baton Rouge, La.), cross country, track and field
50 — Mark Chaplin, U-32 (Montpelier, Vt.), cross country, track and field



Nos. 11-20
49 — Patrick Castagno, Tatnall (Wilmington, Del.), cross country, track and field
46 — John Esslinger, Scottsboro (Ala.), cross country, track and field
45 — Terry Lowe, Greenwich (Conn.), swimming
44 — Ed Aston, Cheshire (Conn.), swimming
44 — Mike Bain, Pontotoc (Miss.), cross country, track and field
43 — Woody Barnett, Pearl (Miss.), track and field
43 — Karl Torchia, Christian Brothers Academy (Lincroft, N.J.), track and field
43 — Murl Bowen, Asher (Okla.), baseball
42 — Jerry Popp, Bowman County (N.D.), Willmar (Minn.), cross country
42 — Devon Hind, Hoover (Ala.), track and field

No. 21-30
42 — David Barney, Albuquerque Academy (Albuquerque, N.M.), swimming
41 — Pete Higgins, Westminster (Atlanta, Ga.), swimming
40 — Richard Duease, Madison-Ridgeland Academy (Madison, Miss.), basketball
39 — Bob Wood, University Liggett (Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich.), tennis
39 — Howard Wood, Washington (Sioux Falls, S.D.), football, basketball, track and field
39 — Earl Quigley, Central (Little Rock, Ark.), football, baseball, track and field
39 — Jim Palmer, Altamont (Birmingham, Ala.), cross country, track and field
39 — Arky Crook, Newark Academy (Livingston, N.J.), tennis
39 — Dennis Cullen, Durham Academy (Durham, N.C.), cross country, track and field
38 — Jeff Meister, Punahou (Honolulu, Hawaii), swimming

37 state championships
Nick Baker, Haddonfield (N.J.), cross country, track and field
Bill Thorn, Landmark Christian (Fairburn, Ga.), cross country, track and field
Sister Lynn Winsor, Xavier College Prep (Phoenix, Ariz.), girls golf

36 state championships
Steve Borowski, Punahou, swimming
Tony Giordano, Asbury Park (N.J.), track and field

34 state championships
Mickey Johnson, Marquette (Mich.), tennis
Dave Hanson, Bishop Hendricken, swimming
Van Rose, Shawnee Mission Northwest (Shawnee Mission, Kan.), cross country

33 state championships
Steve Holzer, Jackson Hole (Jackson, Wyo.), skiing, tennis
Dick Villaflor, Heritage Hall (Oklahoma City, Okla.), tennis



32 state championships
Bill Belisle, Mount St. Charles Academy (Woonsocket, R.I.), ice hockey
Tom Heath, Christian Brothers Academy (Lincroft, N.J.), cross country, track and field

31 state champioinships
CH "Okie" Blanchard, Central (Cheyenne, Wyo.), football, basketball, track and field
Denny Hill, Pioneer (Ann Arbor, Mich.), swimming
Lindy Remigino, Hartford Public (Hartford, Conn.), cross country, track and field

30 state championships
Jeff Holman, Haddonfield (N.J.), tennis
Greg McClallen, Rutland (Vt.), skiing, cross country, soccer
Paul Morina, Paulsboro (N.J.), wrestling
Jack Nelson, Ransom Everglades (Miami), Pine Crest (Fort Lauderdale), Fort Lauderdale, swimming
Maria Nolan, Immaculate Heart Academy (Washington Township, N.J.), volleyball
Kirk Price, Cherry Creek (Greenwood Village, Colo.), tennis, swimming

29 state championships
Dan Borgman, New Canaan (Conn.), tennis
Harry "Swede" Dahlberg, Butte (Mont.), football, basketball, track and field
Karl Koonce, Lake Hamilton (Pearcy, Ark.), track
Charles Tiller, American Christian Academy (Tuscaloosa, Ala.), cross country, track and field
Seymour Williams, Booker T. Washington (Tulsa, Okla.), football, basketball

28 state championships
Gary Cornelsen, Liberal (Kan.), football, track and field
Jerry Holtrey, Hawken (Gates Mills, Ohio), swimming
Bob Hurley, St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.), basketball
Scott Legacy, Mount Anthony (Bennington, Vt.), wrestling
Duncan McDonald, Punahou, cross country, track and field
Joe Newton, York (Elmhurst, Ill.), cross country, track and field
John Turner, Jenks (Okla.), swimming

27 state championships
Rick Baker, Hopi (Keams Canyon, Ariz.), cross country
Russ Cozart, Brandon (Fla.), wrestling
Jon Marcus Duncan, Jackson Prep, soccer
Scott Knowlen, Bismarck (N.D.), wrestling
Joe Tribble, Westminster, cross country
Andy Zihlman, Bishop Lynch (Dallas, Texas), girls basketball



26 state championships
John T. Curtis, John Curtis Christian (River Ridge, La.), football
Joe Lombard, Canyon (Texas), girls basketball, track and field
Ann Schilling, Bayside Academy (Daphne, Ala.), volleyball
Gregg Troy, Bolles (Jacksonville, Fla.), swimming

25 state championships
Amy Eubanks, Westminster, cross country
Woodie Head, Faith Academy, basketball, softball, volleyball
Ralph Heiss, Salesianum (Wilmington, Del.), cross country, track and field
John Jarmon, Mountain Brook, cross country, track and field
Rusty Komori, Punahou, tennis
Ian Wilson, Waterville (Maine), cross country

24 state championships
Dick Hannula, Wilson (Tacoma, Wash.), swimming
Paul Jorgenson, Flathead (Kalispell, Mont.), cross country
Ted Larson, Lincoln Southeast (Lincoln, Neb.), cross country, track and field
Chris Plumb, Carmel (Carmel,Ind.), swimming
Greg Urbas, St. Edward (Lakewood, Ohio), wrestling

23 state championships
Rosemary Adams, Grissom (Huntsville, Ala.), swimming
Scott Chenoweth, Perry (Okla.), wrestling
H.T. Clothier, Duncan (Ariz.), tennis
Thom Haine, Punahou, swimming
Adam Kedge, Albuquerque Academy, cross country
Chuck Koeppen, Carmel, cross country
Terry Nelson, Whitefish (Mont.), golf
Tommy Orndorff, Bishop O'Connell (Arlington, Va.), softball
Steve Paulson, Edina (Minn.), tennis

22 state championships
Bill Aris, Fayetteville-Manlius (Manlius, N.Y.), cross country
Nola Ayres, Sehome (Bellingham, Wash.), gymnastics
Scott Bliss, Champlain Valley Union (Hinesburg, Vt.), cross country, track and field
Jerry Boatner, West Lauderdale (Collinsville, Miss.), baseball, softball
Terry English, Bishop Miege (Shawnee Mission, Kan.), girls basketball
Tom Esslinger, Homewood (Ala.), cross country
Ron Kordes, Assumption (Louisville, Ky.), volleyball
Brother Melchior Polowy, Holy Cross (New Orleans, La.), wrestling
Aaron Oldfield, Hopewell Valley Central (Pennington, N.J.), cross country, track and field
Cherry Roberds, Miami (Ariz.), girls tennis

21 state championships
Norma Bellamy, Safford (Ariz.), volleyball
Greg Voisine, Fort Kent (Maine), skiing
Billy Martin, Granby (Norfolk, Va.), wrestling
Cal Lee, St. Louis (Honolulu, Hawaii), football
Jim Brower, St. Xavier (Cincinnati, Ohio), boys swimming
Al Rowan, Punahou, track and field
Gwen Pike, Bishop Miege, volleyball
Steve Schondell, Muncie Burris (Muncie, Ind.), volleyball
Butch Briggs, East Grand Rapids (Grand Rapids, Mich.), girls swimming
Pat Johnson, West Fargo (N.D.), softball
Rod Wotton, Marshwood (South Berwick, Maine), football
Danyle Heilig, Eastern (Voorhees, N.J.), field hockey



20 state championships
Billy Jack Bowen, Silo (Okla.), baseball
Charles Lenahan, Plymouth (N.H.), football
Paul Sacco, St. Joseph (Hammonton, N.J.), football
Victor Pasternostro, Pope John XXIII (Sparta, N.J.), football
Tony Karcich, Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.), St. Joseph Regional (Montvale, N.J.), football
Todd Dayton, Cokeville (Wyo.), football
Marty O'Toole, St. Xavier (Louisville, Ky.), boys swimming
Becky Dickinson, McGill-Toolen (Mobile, Ala.), volleyball, girls basketball, boys tennis
Mike Bugliari, The Pingry School (Martinsville, N.J.), soccer
Sid Cichy, Shanley (Fargo, N.D.), football
Bobby Carr, Autauga Academy (Prattville, Ala.), football, baseball
Joe Pereira, Skyline (Salt Lake City, Utah), swimming
Luke Nealy, Jackson Prep, swimming