Meet the Butler Eagle’s Top 25 coaches of Butler County between 2000 and 2025, ranked 1-25
Like coaches of any sport, Mars girls soccer’s Blair Gerlach emphasizes details, the seemingly little things that can lead to a goal or big defensive stop.
With 23 seasons at Mars under his belt, he’s also been part of more personal moments prior to, during and after games. He recently shared one of them during an interview for the Butler Eagle’s “Eye on Sports” podcast that will be released Thursday.
The genesis for his recollection begins in 2010. The Planets went 24-1, with the lone defeat coming in a state semifinal against Mercyhurst Prep.
“The following year, it was the first preseason practice and the girls were in a stretching circle,” Gerlach said. “I asked them what their goals were for the season. They were like, ‘It’s got to be a (state) title this year. It has to be, that’s the goal.’
“Then they asked me what my goal was, and I thought about it. Nobody had really asked me that before. I said, ‘I was very spoiled to do some cool things as a player and got to be in some cool environments, but one thing I hadn’t done was win a high school state title. So, my goal’s the same as yours.’”
Fast forward three months. It’s shortly after the Planets had defeated Villa Joseph Marie for the 2011 Class 2A state crown.
“We were in the basement stairwell at Hershey Stadium and the seniors came up to me and looked at me with tears in their eyes and said, ‘There’s your title.’
“I lost it,” Gerlach said. “That was it.”
His Mars teams, including five years with the boys from 2002-06, have never failed to reach the postseason. Under his guidance, the Planets girls have become an annual threat to play deep into November.
Gerlach was voted Butler County’s top coach of the last 25 years by the Butler Eagle sports staff.
Here are the Eagle’s Top 25 coaches from Butler County area high schools and colleges since 2000:
Has coached the girls since 2007 and led them to seven WPIAL titles and four state crowns (2011, 2019-21). Following his team’s success in 2020, he was recognized as Coach of the Year three times (Pa. Soccer Coaches Association, United Soccer Coaches Association-Region and United Soccer Coaches Association-National). Coached Mars’ boys from 2002-06, leading them to their first-ever playoff win and appearance in the state playoffs. Between both programs, he has tallied 399 career victories.
Has tallied 421 wins, an average of over 17 per season. Led the Yellowjackets to seven WPIAL titles and two state titles (2017, 2022). His teams have never missed the playoffs and earned 19 straight section titles (2005-23). Was named Pa. Girls Volleyball Coach of the Year in 2022.
Has guided Mars to eight straight WPIAL Class 2A championships. The Planets played in four consecutive state finals (2021-24), winning it all in 2022, becoming the first team from Western Pa. to win a state lacrosse crown. Was named the National Federation of State High School Associations Lacrosse Coach of the Year in 2022.
Has tallied 371 career victories. Guided the Raiders to three WPIAL titles (2018, 2020, 2021) and two Class 4A state titles (2020, 2022). Was named NFHS Boys Soccer Coach of the Year in Pennsylvania after his team's effort in 2020.
Named PSAC West Coach of the Year three times (2018-2019, 2023) and Don Hansen Gazette Division II National Coach of the Year in 2019. Has guided The Rock to an overall record of 82-21, five PSAC West titles and six appearances in the NCAA Division II playoffs in eight seasons. The Rock reached the national quarterfinals four times and the semifinals in 2019 and 2024.
Since North moved to Butler County in 2014, the Trojanettes have won seven WPIAL titles (2017-20, 2022-24), a Class 1A state title (2016) and reached the Class 4A state final in 2019. She is closing in on 600 wins at North Catholic, her alma mater.
Has tallied a 289-71-21 record, winning three WPIAL titles (2008, 2009, 2020) and one Class 3A state title (2020). His teams have captured 10 section crowns and have reached the district playoffs in each of his 18 seasons.
Reached 1,150 career wins during the 2025 season. Has the most victories of any baseball coach in PSAC history, and ranks 11th in NCAA Division II annals. Seven-time PSAC Coach of the Year. Won a pair of PSAC Tournament titles and has led The Rock to the NCAA Tournament 13 times and College World Series four times. Was inducted into American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2023.
Tallied 408 wins with the Planets. Coached Mars to 17 straight WPIAL playoff appearances, eight consecutive section championships (2013-20), two WPIAL Class 5A titles (2018, 2019) and two trips to the state final (2016, 2018).
Led SRU to 25 PSAC team championships, and coached 12 national champions and 123 All-Americans. Was named PSAC Coach of the Year 21 times and regional coach of the year 16 times. Was inducted into the Butler County Sports Hall of Fame in 2024.
She is Butler County's longest-tenured varsity head coach, regardless of sport. Coached the Knights to three straight WPIAL titles (2017-19) and a state title (2017). She guided Knoch to a 48-game winning streak during the 2017 and 2018 seasons.
Has compiled a 478-172 record in 26 seasons, and currently has the Pioneers on a streak of 20 straight winning seasons. He has coached the team to four National Junior College Athletics Association Division III Tournament berths, six PCAC titles, 14 Region XX championships and 15 Western Pa. Collegiate Conference crowns. Coached 14 NJCAA D-III All-Americans. Four former players have been inducted into BC3 Hall of Fame.
Has led the team to four WPIAL titles (2011-12, 2014, 2025) and a Class 4A state championship in 2007. SV has claimed nine section crowns on his watch. Reached 300 career victories during the 2025 season.
Has a career record of 453-202 and ranks first in victories among active wrestling coaches in the WPIAL. Also ranks 16th all-time in wins among high school wrestling coaches in Pennsylvania. Was named the district's Wrestling Coach of the Year following the 2021-22 season. Has coached numerous Butler athletes to district and state medals. Was inducted into the Butler County Sports Hall of Fame in 2025.
Between his previous time as Butler girls head coach and his current job with the boys, the Golden Tornado have won four WPIAL Class 3A track and field team championships this century. He also guided the boys team to state crowns during the indoor season (2021, 2022) and outdoor season (2022). His background is in middle distance/distance, and he has helped numerous Butler athletes, boys and girls, to district and state medals.
In 18 seasons with KC, he compiled a record of 167-52 and led the Gremlins to 11 District 9 titles. Is tied with former Mars coach Scott Heinauer for the most football coaching wins in the Butler Eagle’s coverage area with 203. Prior to coaching the Gremlins, Conto tallied 36 wins at A-C Valley, located in Clarion County.
In two different stints with the Planets (1986-2005, 2015-23), she tallied 407 victories and a state title in 2018, the same year she was named Pa. Girls Basketball Class 5A Coach of the Year. Was inducted into the Butler County Sports Hall of Fame in 2024.
Guided the Golden Tornado to four WPIAL Class 3A team titles (2017-19, 2021). His background is in jumping events, and he has aided numerous Butler athletes, boys and girls, to district and state medals.
Coached SV's girls soccer for 15 seasons (2001-15), compiling a 232-60-25 record, nine section titles and four WPIAL Class 3A titles (2007, 2009, 2013-14). Coached Mars' girls basketball for two seasons (2005-06 and 2006-07), with a 46-11 record and 26-2 in section play, taking the Planets to the state playoffs both years. In both sports combined, his winning percentage was .776. Was a unanimous choice as the Butler Eagle's Coach of the Decade from 2000-09.
Was head coach of the Planets during their four Penguins Cup Class 1A championship seasons (2009-11, 2015). The Planets also won state crowns in 2010 and 2011.
Won seven District 9 titles in 12 years. In his final four seasons, the Gremlins went 91-15 and won four straight D9 championships. Was voted Butler Eagle Girls Basketball Coach of the Year following the 2012-13 season.
Coached the Knights to three WPIAL Class 2A team titles (2020, 2022-23), two state team titles (2020, 2022), had four WPIAL singles champions, five WPIAL doubles champions and one state doubles champion.
Won 197 games and eight PSAC West titles at The Rock. Reached NCAA Division II playoffs six times, including three straight 2013-15. SRU made national quarterfinals in 2015 and was ranked in the Top 10 nationally for two months that year. Retired with the fourth-most wins in PSAC history. Was named PSAC West Coach of the Year six times and Regional Coach of the Year in 2013. Record this century was 111-74.
Butler County’s all-time leader in football coaching wins with 203. Led the Planets to 16 straight WPIAL playoff appearances (2005-20), a span that bridged the team’s jump from Class 2A to 4A, and reached the district final in 1996 and 2002. His career record was 203-118. Was inducted into the Butler County Sports Hall of Fame in 2017.
Has a career record of 238-146, including 23-16 in the playoffs. Coached the Golden Tornado to the WPIAL Class 6A title in 2020, and the team was still alive in the state quarterfinals when the plug was pulled on the season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He earned Butler Eagle Boys Basketball Coach of the Year honors following that season. He also led Butler to the district championship game in 2017 and 2019. On his watch, Butler has reached the WPIAL playoffs in 14 of 16 seasons, including a current streak of 11 years.
Note: Only coaches who coached at North Catholic since 2014, when the high school moved into Butler County, were considered for this list.
