2023-24 MIAA Winter Sports Coaches of the Year

The MIAA would like to congratulate our 2023-24 Winter Sports Coaches of the Year, as nominated by their peers and selected by the MIAA Executive Committe, in coordination with each MIAA Winter Sports Chairperson.

Our 2023-24 Coaches of the Year are:

BASKETBALL
MIKE GLASBY - SEVERN SCHOOL

Severn had a spectacular 24-6 season in 2023-24 under head coach Mike Glasby. Glasby led the Admirals to a perfect 14-0 regular season record in the MIAA B Conference and the team then rolled through to the post-season to capture its first ever MIAA basketball title. The Admirals last basketball championship of any kind came in 1993 in the Maryland Scholastic Association (MSA) B Conference.

"Coach Glasby has done a wonderful job of positioning this team to be extremely successful. In his sixth year at Severn, he has developed a culture of work ethic and being unselfish on the court," said Severn athletic director Julian Domenech. "His players love to come to practice each day, which says volumes of him and his staff. Mike has been a mentor for each player that has come thru his program and is unphased when having to have the difficult conversation with a player or parent. He meets everything head on and makes sure that communication is open and often to make sure things don’t go unresolved."

ICE HOCKEY
BAPTISTE VENIEUWE - BOYS' LATIN SCHOOL

Baptiste Venieuwe, in his second year with the Boys' Latin ice hockey program and the first as its head coach led the Lakers an 11-1 record and the MIAA B Conference championship in 2023-24. It was the third league title for the Lakers and the first since the 2011-12 season.

Venieuwe as the team's Associate Head Coach in 2022-23 and spearheaded the team's skating instruction and offense and eventually assumed even more responsibility as the season progressed.

"Coach V was in charge of every facet as the head coach," said BL athletic director Michael Thomas. "He developed the cultural statement for the program and was in charge of day-to-day activities (drills, player participation, game day management). The skating ability of the team improved greatly from the time he arrived. He also infused new drills and tactics.

"He participated in all of the drills which gave him instant credibility with the players. Practices were well organized and everything had a purpose. We usually met every day to discuss the plan for the day and player development. He is well respected by every player. He is committed to every player and the program. Aside from a bunch of talented players, Coach V was a major factor in the turnaround of this program." 

INDOOR TRACK
SCOTT BAKER - CALVERT HALL COLLEGE

Calvert Hall has won four of the last MIAA Indoor Track championship meet titles and in 2023-24 the Cardinals earned their first one under second year head coach Scott Baker, a 2013 graduate of The Hall.

Hall, who also coaches the outdoor track and cross country teams, saw his team amass 164 points in the championship meet by winning six individual titles and easily out-pacing second place Gilman.

SQUASH
DOUG DESMIT - GILMAN SCHOOL

Doug DeSmit led Gilman to its fourth consecutive MIAA squash championship and its 14th since the sport gained varsity status in the MIAA in 2007-08. With the exception of a two-year championship run by McDonogh from 2017-18 thur 2018-19, Gilman has won every MIAA squash championship. DeSmit, who inherited the program from the legendary Boo Smith just completed his seventh season at the helm.

“We’ve had leaders who set a standard, and eventually it dawns on the new guys (about Gilman’s winning culture),” said Desmit of the Greyhounds dynasty. “From the beginning of the season, we just try to get better every day on the court.”

SWIMMING
GORDON AMATO - LOYOLA BLAKEFIELD

In his second year as the head coach of the Loyola Blakefield swimming team, Gordon Amato has the Dons back on top of the MIAA. Loyola went a perfect 5-0 in MIAA A Conference dual meets and won the league's championship meet for its first title since 2016-17.

Loyola once dominated the swimming landscape in the MIAA, winning 19 of 21 titles from the league's inception in 1995-96 through 2016-17. In recent years, McDonogh had owned the top spot in the conference, winning five straight championship before Amato's Dons halted the streak this winter.

"Swimming is often thought of as an individual sport, but I am teaching the boys that swimming at Loyola is a team sport," said Coach Amato. "Every member of the team participates in a weekly practice that allows us to bond and work on relay exchanges. Swimmers from all different club teams represent Loyola swimming, which can make it challenging since different clubs have different practice times and locations. Having the team participate in weekly practice allows the boys the time to work together and develop a sense of team that will carry into dual meets and champions.  The 100-mile swim provides the team the opportunity to serve others by raising money for charity through swimming."

WRESTLING
BRYN HOLMES - GILMAN SCHOOL

Under head coach Bryn Holmes, the Gilman wrestling program has been building towards a breakout season and the Greyhounds finally found that success in 2023-24, winning its first ever MIAA Dual Meet, MIAA Tournament and Maryland Private School State Tournament titles, unseating both Mount St. Joseph and McDonogh as the dominant powers in the A Conference. The Greyhounds left no doubt in outscoring St. Joe, 249-215, for the top spot in the MIAA Tournament standings.

"Bryn Holmes has done a fantastic job resurrecting a once proud wrestling program," said Gilman athletic director Russell Wren. "Bryn took over as head coach while still a teaching intern here, and has been the only faculty member on the varsity wrestling staff for most of his career. He works tirelessly with the boys and the staff, often coaching middle school, JV, and Varsity programs on the same day. Bryn, one of the all-time great high school athletes in our state's history, doesn't just coach from the sidelines, either; he is on the mat with the boys each day. Bryn has created a tremendous culture of hard work and fun in our program; his four children and wife are often at practices and matches, and the boys and families in the wrestling program all treat them a part of their Gilman family, and they treat the boys as an extension of the Holmes family."