BISMARCK, N.D. — Two Montana high school coaches were honored as National High School Athletic Coaches Association Coaches of the Year on Wednesday night, and longtime Hardin coach Laura Sundheim was inducted into the NHSACA Hall of Fame a night earlier.
Huntley Project volleyball coach Iona Stookey and longtime wrestling coach Jeff Thompson were also feted during the annual NHSACA convention in Bismarck.
Stookey is 929-177 in 36 years as a head volleyball coach, winning 14 state championships and finishing second five times. She was inducted into the Montana Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2017.
People are also reading…
Thompson has had two stints leading Kalispell Flathead wrestling over the past 24 years, fashioning a 314-39 record in dual meets and winning 10 state championships. He was inducted into the MOA Hall of Fame in 2022.
Sundheim started coaching at Hardin in 1982 after short stints as an assistant women’s basketball and track coach at Eastern Montana College and assistant girls coach at Nashua. She coached the Bulldogs for 42 years, including 21 apiece as head coach in volleyball and track and three in cross country.
Sundheim was a part of six state titles in volleyball and five in cross country. She was inducted into the MOA Hall of fame in 2001 and was awarded the Kathy Holloway Women of Inspiration Award by the NHSACA.
