St. John Vianney Girls Basketball Coach, Dawn Karpell, Voted High School Coach of the Year for 2016

(Photo: Peter Ackerman/APP.com)

Dawn Karpell has been the head coach of the St. John Vianney Lady Lancers basketball team for ten seasons. Since her hiring, St. John Vianney has been one of the powerhouses in the Shore Conference Class A Central division. With multiple trips to the Shore Conference Tournament, the Lady Lancers were unable to get past the semifinals. 2016 would be different for Karpell.

After falling in the semifinals the past two seasons to the Manasquan Warriors, the Lady Lancers would finally receive vindication, as they defeated Manasquan 59-48. Karpell, who won the Conference Championship three times as a player, would bring the Conference championship to St. John Vianney for the first time in 11 years.

Things would only get better for the Lady Lancers, as they competed in the NJSIAA Tournament of Champions as the No. 1 seed. Karpell led the team to the finals, where they would face rival Manasquan (No. 3). The Tournament of Champions Finals would go down as one of the most memorable games in history, as the Lady Lancers defeated the Warriors 65-58 in multiple overtimes. This victory would give St. John Vianney their seventh state championship in the school’s history, their first since 2009.

Karpell would coach the Lady Lancers to a 31-1 record in the 2015-2016 season. With a successful campaign this past season, Karpell looks to continue to improve her already successful resume as the St. John Vianney Lady Lancers head coach.