Girls Coach of the Year: Vertacnik’s passion trickled down to young Greyhounds

By JEREMY SELLEW

jsellew@yourmvi.com

When Janine Vertacnik took over the Monessen girls basketball program in spring 2018, she knew it was going to be a challenge getting the Greyhounds’ once-storied program back to prominence.

If the last season was any indication, the Greyhounds are on their way.

Monessen went 3-18 in 2018. Last season, Vertacnik’s first, their record jumped to 7-15 with a 5-7 mark in Section 2-A, narrowly missing the playoffs.

Fast forward to this past season, the Greyhounds finished 15-8 and 8-4 in section play. They finished third in the standings with a win over second-place Avella under their belt.

The numbers and spirits are up in the Greyhounds program.

For her effort, Vertacnik was named the MVI-BeeGraphix Super 6 girls coach of the year.

“You can either be a bad coach or a great coach. Coach Janine was a great one,” Monessen senior Qitarah Hardison said. “Her leadership makes her a great coach.”

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