While Gary McKnight of
Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) continues to climb toward the No. 1 spot on the all-time wins list for high school boys basketball coaches, another coach with over 1,200 career wins has said the 2025-26 season will be his final year on the sideline.
Richard Duease of
Madison-Ridgeland Academy (Madison, Miss.) has announced that this year will be his final season as coach at the school. With 1,257 victories, Duease ranks No. 2 among active coaching wins leaders behind McKnight and No. 4 on the all-time wins list. Duease has a chance to move up to No. 3 by season's end as he is just 18 wins away from passing Morgan Wootten of
DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.), who retired in 2002 with 1,274 career victories.
McKnight begins the 2025-26 season with 1,294 career wins and is just 39 wins shy of tying Robert Hughes of
Dunbar (Fort Worth, Texas) as the nation's all-time winningest boys basketball coach. Mater Dei won't play enough games for McKnight to catch Hughes this year but look for him to climb to No. 1 during the 2026-27 season.
Active wins leader Gary McKnight of Mater Dei looks on during a game last season at the Intuit Dome. (PHOTO: Gregory Fiore)
Freddy Johnson of
Greensboro Day School (Greensboro, N.C.) went over 1,200 wins last year and he has a chance to move past Steve Smith of
Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) into the No. 5 spot all-time. Johnson, with 1,221 career wins, needs just seven wins to tie Smith, who had 1,228.
Charles Smith of
Peabody (Alexandria, La.) is also closing in on 1,200 career wins. With 1,184 to his credit, Smith needs just two wins to pass Bob Hurley of
St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.), who had 1,185 wins, into seventh all-time. It should be noted that Smith has had several different career win totals reported in the media, however MaxPreps is going with 1,184 wins as his official total heading into the 2025-26 season.
Danny Broussard of
St. Thomas More (Lafayette) is not far behind Smith for the all-time lead in Louisiana. Broussard enters the 2025-26 season with 1,167 wins, which is good enough for No. 9 all-time.
Other active coaches with over 1,000 career wins include MIke LeDuc of
Damien (La Verne, Calif.), Paul Rodio of
St. Augustine Prep (Richland, N.J.) and Jeff Bell of
Graford (Texas).
LeDuc, with 1,095 wins, ranks only behind McKnight in California for career wins. Currently No. 15 all-time, LeDuc could move up as high as No. 11 past Ralph Tasker of
Hobbs (N.M.), who had 1,122 career wins.
Rodio is No. 2 in New Jersey behind Hurley with 1,044 wins. He ranks No. 19 all-time. Bell is No. 7 in Texas with 1,011 wins. He trails Hughes (1,333 wins), Tony Harper (1,159), Sammie Koudelka (1,120), Clyde Carlisle (1,103), Bill Krueger (1,096) and John Guice (1,018).
One member of the 1,000-win club retired last year. Ron Insinger of
Loyalsock Township (Williamsport, Pa.) stepped down after 52 seasons. He ranks No. 17 all-time with a record of 1,059-312.
Look for possible four coaches to join the 1,000-win club this year. Ken Novak Jr. of
Hopkins (Minnetonka, Minn.) needs just seven wins to reach milestone (993-189) while Aaron Straub of
Elk County Catholic (St. Marys, Pa.) needs 11 wins (989-249). Harvey Kitani of
Rolling Hills Prep (San Pedro, Calif.) and Neil Alexander of
Lincoln (Ill.) are also within reach. Kitani needs 21 wins (979-306) and Alexander needs 22 (978-440).
Following is the list of all active coaches with 800 or more wins heading into the 2025-26 season. For any additions or corrections, contact kevinaskeland65@gmail.com.
Active coaching wins leaders
1. Gary McKnight
Career record: 1,294-149 (.897)
Years coached: 1983-present
Schools: Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.)2. Richard Duease
Career record: 1,257-452 (.736)
Years coached: 1976-present
Schools: Madison-Ridgeland Academy (Madison, Miss.)3. Freddy Johnson
Career record: 1,221-333 (.786)
Years coached: 1977-present
Schools: Greensboro Day School (Greensboro, N.C.)4. Charles Smith
Career record: 1,184-211 (.848)
Years coached: 1985-present
Schools: Peabody (Alexandria, La.)5. Danny Broussard
Career record: 1,167-356 (.766)
Years coached: 1983-present
Schools: St. Thomas More (Lafayette, La.)6. Mike LeDuc
Career record: 1,095-281 (.796)
Years coached: 1980-present
Schools: Damien (La Verne, Calif.)
7. Paul Rodio
Career record: 1,044-287 (.784)
Years coached: 1977-present
Schools: St. Augustine Prep (Richland, N.J.)8. Jeff Bell
Career record: 1,011-327 (.756)
Years coached: 1982-present
Schools: Graford (Texas) 9. Ken Novak Jr.
Career record: 993-189 (.840)
Years coached: 1982-present
Schools: Hopkins (Minnetonka, Minn.)10. Aaron Straub
Career record: 989-249 (.799)
Years coached: 1983-present
Schools: Elk County Catholic (St. Marys, Pa.)11. Harvey Kitani
Career record: 979-306 (.762)
Years coached: 1980-present
Schools: Rolling Hills Prep (San Pedro, Calif.)12. Neil Alexander
Career record: 978-440 (.690)
Years coached: 1977-present
Schools: Lincoln (Ill.)13. Ron Naclerio
Career record: 961 wins
Years coached: 1981-present
Schools: Cardozo (Bayside, N.Y.) 14. Todd Sutherland
Career record: 955-212 (.818)
Years coached: 1993-present
Schools: East Chambers (Winnie, Texas)15. Pat Eidson
Career record: 954-432 (.688)
Years coached: 1983-present
Schools: Pinewood Prep (Summerville, S.C.) 16. J.R. Holmes
Career record: 932-381 (.710)
Years coached: 1971-present
Schools: Bloomington South (Bloomington, Ind.) 17. Butch Waller
Career record: 932-395 (.702)
Years coached: 1966-present
Schools: Wicomico (Salisbury, Md.) 18. Greg Wise
Career record: 931-172 (.844)
Years coached: 1996-present
Schools: Yates (Houston, Texas)
19. Tom Orlich
Career record: 927-343 (.730)
Years coached: 1976-2016, 2023-present
Schools: Buchanan (Clovis, Calif.)20. Rudy Carey
Career record: 918-249 (.787)
Years coached: 1976-present
Schools: Denver East (Denver)21. Jim Scanlon
Career record: 909-284 (.762)
Years coached: 1976-present
Schools: Rock Bridge (Columbia, Mo.)22. Sandy Pyonin
Career record: 898 wins
Years coached: N/A
Schools: Golda Och Academy (West Orange, N.J.)23. Jim Murphy
Career record: 886-289 (.754)
Years coached: 1984-present
Schools: Hope Christian (Albuquerque) 24. Joe Fenlon
Career record: 880-350 (.715)
Years coached: 1983-present
Schools: Tampa Prep (Tampa, Fla.)25. Kevin Boyle
Career record: 873-166 (.840)
Years coached: 1989-present
Schools: SPIRE Academy (Geneva, Ohio)26. Richard Hoogendoorn
Career record: 875-554 (.607)
Years coached: 1976-present
Schools: Schulenburg (Texas) 27. Joe Hosman
Career record: 863-468 (.648)
Years coached: 1979-present
Schools: Massac County (Metropolis, Ill.)28. Ken Shaw
Career record: 858-304 (.738)
Years coached: 1976-present
Schools: Regis Jesuit (Aurora, Colo.) 29. Dave Rogers
Career record: 851-264 (.763)
Years coached: 1975-present
Schools: Martinsburg (W.Va.) 30. Larry Kostelac
Career record: 844 wins
Years coached: 1985-present
Schools: Trinity (Camp Hill, Pa.)31. Ken "Snip" Esterly
Career record: 840-229 (.786)
Years coached: 1990-present
Schools: Berks Catholic (Reading, Pa.)
32. Tom Hofman
Career record: 839-274 (.754)
Years coached: 1986-present
Schools: La Canada (Calif.)
Career record: 834 wins
Years coached: 1990-present
Schools: Anadarko (Okla.)34. Pat Clatchey
Career record: 832-274 (.752)
Years coached: 1992-present
Schools: Mount St. Joseph (Baltimore, Md.)35. Dan Neier
Career record: 831-268 (.756)
Years coached: 1987-present
Schools: St. Francis Borgia (Washington, Mo.)36. Norm Persin
Career record: 823-228 (.783)
Years coached: 1979-present
Schools: South Webster (Ohio)37. Mark Applegate
Career record: 813-235 (.776)
Years coached: 1984-present
School: South Gray (Montezuma, Kan.)
38. Doug Mitchell
Career record: 812-223 (.772)
Years coached: 1990-present
School: Bishop Montgomery (Torrance, Calif.)39. Keith Arrington
Career record: 806 wins
Years coached: 1981-present
Schools: T.L. Hanna (Anderson, S.C.).
40. Eddie Lewis
Career record: 801 wins
Years coached: 1984-present
School: Roland
