A Fresh Coaching Vision
Kevin Eckenrode has been approved as the new head coach of the Newark High School girls basketball program, taking over the reins from Jack Purtell, who departed for a similar role at Watkins Memorial.
Eckenrode arrives with a proven track record, having guided the Johnstown boys to back‑to‑back district championships in 2020 and 2021, a feat that cemented his reputation as a strategic mind and a motivator.
His daughters, Leah Eckenrode and Quinn Eckenrode, are among the roster of the Newark Wildcats, giving the new coach a personal stake in the team’s success and adding a familial thread to the program.
The Wildcats return All‑Ohio seniors Calli Geller and Emma Quackenbush, who were key contributors to a Division I district championship team last season, and Eckenrode hopes their experience will translate into a tough, hard‑nosed, man‑to‑man defensive identity.
Athletic director Jeff Quackenbush praised Eckenrode’s passion for the game, noting that his enthusiasm was a decisive factor in the hiring decision.
Eckenrode will also retain assistant coaches Bailey Williams and Liz Stine, ensuring continuity in the program’s development and allowing him to focus on implementing his defensive schemes.
With the season looming, the new coaching staff is already planning intense transition drills and a schedule that emphasizes disciplined defense and fast‑break opportunities.