McPHERSON, Kan. – McPherson High School Girls Basketball head coach Chris Strathman informed Ad Astra Radio Saturday morning that he has submitted his resignation. This comes after the girls team finished the 2023-24 season 20-5, earning 3rd place in the state tournament.
Below is Strathman’s official announcement:
Coach Chris Strathman of McPherson High School has submitted his resignation as the MHS Girls Basketball coach. Strathman had been with the program for 29 years. He spent his first 10 years as an assistant coach on Scott Schaefer’s staff from 1996-2005. During that time, Strathman served as the Head JV Coach for the last 8 years as an assistant, compiling a JV record of 129-7.
During his time as an assistant, he was also a part of 4 State Championship teams (1997, 1998, 1999, 2005), and 2 State Runner-Ups (2003 and 2004). The MHS girls qualified for state during all 10 years with Strathman as an assistant. Combined with the years as head coach, McPherson’s girls played in the state tournament in 27 of the last 29 seasons.
Strathman was hired as the seventh head coach for MHS Girls Basketball. During his tenure as head coach, the program experienced continued success following the Schaefer era which spanned 13 seasons. Here are some of the highlights of Strathman’s career as the head coach for MHS Girls Basketball, which spanned 19 seasons from 2006 – 2024.
Overall Record: 380 – 76 (83.3% Winning Percentage)
League Play: 183 – 8 (95.8% Winning Percentage)
18 League Titles, 1 Runner-Up (Newton was league champion in 2007)
17 Consecutive League Titles from 2008 – 2024
2006: AVCTL-I Champion
2007: AVCTL-II Runner Up
2008 – 2012: AVCTL-II Champions
2013 – 2024: AVCTL-III Champions
League Record of 183 Wins, 8 Losses
149 – 2 league record since 2010.
94 consecutive league wins dates back to 1/13/15.
Postseason Play: 62-16 (79.4% Winning Percentage)
17 Substate Titles in 19 Seasons
*2009 (Lost SS Rd1 to Great Bend) *2015 (Lost to Buhler in SS Final)
State Quarterfinal Games: 12-5
State Semifinal Games: (7-4, COVID cancellation 2020 so not played out that year)
State 3rd Place Games: (3-1)
State Championship Games: (3-4)
*2008 beat Bishop Carroll. 2012 beat Holton. 2018 beat Bishop Miege.
*2013 lost to Wamego. 2017, 2021, and 2023 lost to Bishop Miege.
8 of 16 career postseason losses were to Bishop Miege and St. Thomas Aquinas.
Player Honors of Note:
Ashley Sweat, 2006 Gatorade POY, 2006 Miss Kansas Basketball (Kansas State)
Katelyn Loecker, 2012 & 2013 Gatorade POY, 2013 Miss Kansas Basketball (Oklahoma State)
Taylor Robertson, 2017 Gatorade POY as a Junior, 2018 Miss Kansas Basketball (Oklahoma)
Coaching Honors of Note:
Multiple League COY honors (not sure on the # count or years)
2008 Class 5A Coach of the Year
2012 Class 4A Coach of the Year
2018 Class 4A-I Coach of the Year
2018 Kansas Coaches Association Girls BB ALL Classes Coach of the Year
2018 Greater Wichita Sports Commission Coach of the Year for ALL Girls Athletics
2019 KBCA Don Jones Courage Award for battling colon cancer during the 2018-19 Season
Other:
2008 – 2024: Led the program fundraiser for Breast Cancer Awareness for the last 17 years
**Raised nearly $65,000 for the local WACCC organization to support awareness
