At the Iowa High School Sports Awards presented by SCHEELS, Jordan Mullen of Ankeny boys track and field and PJ Sweeney of Clear Creek-Amana girls basketball were honored as the Boys and Girls Coaches of the Year. The event, held at Hoyt-Sherman Place in Des Moines, celebrated over 250 Iowa student-athletes.
Ankeny’s boys track and field team made history in 1972 by winning a state title, but it was Mullen who led the team to another victory this year. They not only won the state title, but they set a new record by scoring 112 points, the most ever by any boys team in the history of the state meet. Mullen focused on creating a well-rounded team with strengths in all areas, leading to six gold medals and three top-four finishes.
Clear Creek-Amana girls basketball coach Sweeney also made history this past season by guiding the team to their first-ever Class 4A state title and an undefeated 26-0 record. The Clippers’ success was attributed to their strong defense, as they held their opponents to shooting just 7 of 49 from the field in the final game. Sweeney’s dedication to building excitement for girls basketball at CCA has paid off, with three state tournament appearances in five years and now a championship to show for it.
