Pennsylvania's Gabe Infante named 2018 Football Coach of the Year

The National High School Coaches Association (NHSCA) is proud to announce Gabe Infante of St. Joseph’s Prep in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania as its National High School Football Coach of the Year. This honor is jointly presented with our partner, High School Football America.

This past season, Infante led St. Joe’s to its fourth state championship in the last six years in Pennsylvania’s largest classification. In nine years as the school’s head football coach, Infante led the program to a 91-22 career record.

The 2018 season was special as the Hawks finished No. 4 in the High School Football America 100 national rankings, No. 6 in the USA TODAY Super 25 and a No. 11 in MaxPreps’ Xcellent 25.

After an impressive season, Infante has left St. Joe’s to become an assistant coach at Temple University.  He has served in many capacities as part of USA Football’s national teams, including serving the head coach of the Under-17 team last season. Infante was the U.S. Army National Coach of the Year in 2017.

Infante was nominated by the Philadelphia Eagles for the 2018 Don Shula NFL High School Coach of the Year.

“We are extremely pleased to honor Gabe Infante,” said Eric Hess, Executive Director of the NHSCA. “Coach Infante has established St. Joseph’s Prep as one of the top programs in the nation during his tenure as the head coach.  He exhibits a strong dedication to supporting and developing his high school student-athletes both on and off the football field.”

“Coach Infante has created a level of excellence at St. Joe’s that places the Hawk program as one of the best in the nation,” said Jeff Fisher, head of the NHSCA Coach of the Year Nominating Committee and founder of High School Football America.  “This past season was another example of the type of program that Infante has built. His players succeed on the field and in the classroom.

Infante is the second Pennsylvania high school football coach to receive the honor. The late Mike Pettine, Sr. of Central Bucks West High School in Doylestown was the first honoree in 2000.

Throughout the next few months, the NHSCA will be announcing the 2018-2019 Coach of the Year honorees in 20 boys’ and girls’ sports. This marks the 20^th consecutive year the NHSCA has honored achievers within the high school athletic community nationwide.

Each of the honorees will receive a beautiful plaque.  In addition, the Coach of the Year honoree will be displayed in the National High School Digital Sports Hall of Fame that is currently under development.

Below are the NHSCA’s past selections for National High School Football Coach of the Year:

2018 – Bob Beatty, Trinity HS, Kentucky

2017 – Bruce Rollinson, Mater Dei HS, California

2016 – Gary Joseph, Katy HS, Texas

2015 – Roland Smith, Miami Central HS, Florida

2014 ­– Tom Westerberg, Allen HS, Texas

2013 – J.T. Curtis, John Curtis HS, Louisiana

2012 – Chuck Lenahan – Plymouth HS, New Hampshire

2011 – George Smith – St. Thomas Aquinas HS, Florida

2010 – Jeremy Williams – Greenville HS, Georgia

2009 – John McKissick – Summerville HS, South Carolina

2008 – James Drewry – Booneville HS, Mississippi

2007 – Gary Rankin – Alcoa HS, Tennessee

2006 – Randy Allen – Highland Park HS, Texas

2005 – Charles “Corky” Roger – The Bolles School, Florida

2004 – Bob Ladouceur – De La Salle HS, California

2003 – Chris Jones – Heritage HS, Virginia

2002 – Alan Trimble – Jenks HS, Oklahoma

2001 – Bob Ladouceur – De La Salle HS, California

2000 – Mike Pettine, Sr. – Central Bucks West, Pennsylvania