Cooper High School announced that it has hired Ryan Bowman as its next girls basketball coach.
Bowman was most recently the junior varsity head coach and a varsity assistant at Conner and led the Ludlow girls team to a 11-19 record in 2024-2025.
He also coached the Boone County Lady Rebels from 2017 to 2021, compiling a 45-67 record. He went 8-22 in his first season, but led Boone County to a 14-10 record in his final season, the program’s first winning record since Nell Fookes’s final season in 2015.
Bowman has spent the majority of his coaching career in the 33rd District, serving in various roles at Boone County, Conner, Cooper and Ryle. He was an assistant coach for the Cooper boys team that finished as the state runner-up in 2017.
“Cooper High School is excited to announce coach Bowman and reflects the school’s continued commitment to expanding opportunities for female student-athletes. With coach Bowman at the helm, the program will continue with its strong foundation, which is rooted in excellence, teamwork and pride,” athletic director Randy Borchers said in a press release.
Bowman will be the third different head coach in as many seasons for the Lady Jaguars. Justin Holthaus led the program to a 128-30 record, including four district titles, four Ninth Region crowns and two state semifinal appearances, in five seasons before taking the boys head coach position ahead of the 2025-2026 season. Christian Prohaska accrued a 20-9 record last year but resigned after Cooper lost six of its final 11 games.
With senior leaders in Ninth Region Player of the Year Haylee Noel, Brinkli Rankin and Alivia Scott, and up-and-coming players in Leila Allen and Destiny Knox, the Lady Jaguars will be a contender to cut down the nets at Truist Arena and return to the state tournament.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cooper hires Ryan Bowman as next girls basketball head coach
Reporting by Brendan Connelly, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
