She’s baaaaaaaack…
Renowned Ozarks basketball figure Trish Marsh announced on Wednesday that she will take over as the head girls basketball coach at Aurora.
“I’m so pumped and excited; I’ve been waiting for the right opportunity and this was the perfect fit,” said Marsh. “I’m used to the one-school community being from Marshfield and Aurora has a reputation for having good, hard-working kids and the program returns a strong nucleus.”
Aurora went 15-9 this season under Jim Moore, who resigned his position last month after two years on the job.
The Lady Houn Dawgs started the season 11-3 before losing all-state forward Emily Parker for the season due to a torn ACL. The 6-foot-2 Drury commit averaged 22.6 PPG while shooting 58% from the field.
Marsh, who is no stranger to elite players after playing with Melody Howard in high school, as well as coaching collegiately as an assistant, is excited about the opportunity to work with Aurora’s returning roster.
“It’s going to be special to work with all of those kids, especially a player of Emily’s caliber,” said Marsh. “I had a chance to see her up close and personal when Aurora played Parkview and she’s really a special kid. With her coming off of a knee injury she’s going to have to battle back and I’m excited to help her get back to where she wants to be. It’s awesome to see good kids have an opportunity to get a scholarship to go on to do what they love and Coach Miller is definitely getting a great one.”
Marsh will be one of the most decorated high school coaches in Missouri.
The Marshfield product was an all-state selection in 1986-87 and 1987-88, leading the Lady Jays to a 32-0 season as a senior and the Class 3A title. She then went on to star at Missouri S&T where she scored 1,125 points, the ninth highest total in program history.
The Missouri S&T Hall of Famer still holds records for single-season (73) and career (219) 3-point field goal makes. She also made 10 consecutive 3s over a two-game stretch which is also a school record.
Marsh, then Van Diggelen, also holds marks for single-game (100%; 6-for-6), single-season (54%) and career 3-point percentage (43.9%).
Following her playing career she went on to coach serve as an assistant to Nyla Milleson for two decades, making stops at Glendale, Drury and Missouri State along the way.
It’s that background as a player and coach, and her love for the game, that led to Aurora AD Pat Rapert deciding to go with Marsh.
“I loved her passion for the game and for kids,” said Rapert. “Of course her knowledge and background says it all. Everyone I spoke to said her attention to detail and organization along with discipline is what will make her a good fit. She is ready to go!”
Marsh says you can expect her teams to get after it and play hard on both ends. They will likely take on the will and toughness of Marsh, a breast cancer survivor.
While she favors man-to-man defense and motion sets offensively, she believes you have to be adaptable as a coach and plans to get to know her personnel better before committing to any schemes.
She’s won at every level and is hoping to continue that record of success at Aurora and bring the program a state championship, a feeling that still has great meaning to Marsh nearly 20 years, despite all the success she’s had.
“I would love to be able to do that for Aurora, the players and the community,” said Marsh. “It is really a special and unique opportunity. I was able to go up to Columbia and watch the Final Four again this year and there is nothing quite like it; it’s a lifetime accomplishment. It ranks up there in the top of my basketball experience.”
