It is with great pleasure that the National High School Athletic Coaches Association announces the advancement of Tom Petersen from Exira-Elk Horn-Kimballton as a finalist for the 2026 National High School Athletic Coaches Association national coach of the year in the sport of Girls Basketball. Eight finalists from across the nation will be honored during The National Coach of the Year Awards Banquet, which will take place at the National High School Athletic Coaches Association’s national convention at the Hyatt Regency Hotel and Conference Center in Coralville, IA, on the evening of July 1, 2026. The highlight of the banquet will be the naming of the NHSACA national coach of the year in nineteen recognized sports categories.
Coach Tom Petersen was nominated for this national honor by their state’s high school coaches’ association. This selection was based on longevity, service to high school athletics, honors, championship years, and winning percentage. The nominees and finalists are evaluated by experts in the field of coaching using a sport-specific rubric to assign points in each category. The National High School Athletic Coaches Association is the oldest coach’s association in the nation, formed by coaches, for coaches, and has been recognizing national coaches of the year since 1978.
