It has been a busy spring when it comes to the basketball coaching carousel, including some surprise openings around the area. Here is a rundown of a couple of the significant coaching changes.
Romeli jumps to Brother Rice
After three big winning seasons under veteran coach Conte Stamas, Brother Rice was in search of a new coach this spring.
The program turned to Marian Catholic coach Rick Romeli to replace Stamas, the 2024-25 City/Suburban Coach of the Year.
Romeli departs his alma mater, taking over a Brother Rice program that finished second in the state this past year and won 30-plus games in each of the last three seasons.
“It was obviously a difficult decision given it was my alma mater,” Romeli said. “Marian is a special place.”
But Romeli couldn’t ignore the potential at Brother Rice and what was best for his family at this time.
“I live in Palos Heights, my kids go to school there, so from a family standpoint it made a lot more sense as far as location for us,” Romeli said. “As far as Brother Rice, it was more of it being a perfect fit situation for me rather than simply leaving Marian.”
Romeli spent the last two years at Marian, guiding the Spartans to a 48-19 record. He previously spent 18 years as a college assistant coach at St. Xavier and Governors State.
Yaklich returns to high school
After four college coaching stops, including leading the UIC program as the head coach from 2020-24, Luke Yaklich is back in the high-school game. Yaklich was named the coach at Lincoln-Way East, taking over for the retiring Rich Kolimas.
“I am more than comfortable returning to coaching high school basketball,” Yaklich said. “It’s the perfect timing for me and the ideal spot at Lincoln-Way East. I’ve always had a passion for high school basketball. I am extremely excited for this opportunity.”
Yaklich, who had head-coaching stints at Sterling and LaSalle-Peru, last coached prep basketball at Joliet West.
He led the Tigers to 24 wins and a sectional title in 2010 and a regional championship in 2013 before landing an assistant job at Illinois State that spring.
After four seasons at Illinois State, two at Michigan (including a Final Four run in 2019), and one season at Texas, Yaklich was named the head coach at UIC.
“I pour my heart and soul into coaching and teaching, no matter where it’s been,” Yaklich said. “I’ve kept that mentality. I’m all in. Players want to feel and see the passion and energy, and I want to apply that and use relationship building just as I always have in any coaching spot.”
Addison Trail hires former star player
Addison Trail didn’t need to look far in finding a replacement for Brendan Lyons, the longtime coach who has led the Blazers program since the 2007-08 season.
Former Addison Trail star Cory Little, who has been the school’s girls basketball coach the last six seasons, was named the new boys coach.
Little, an all-state player at Addison Trail in the 1990s, was an assistant coach under Lyons before taking over the girls program.
“This is the place I’ve grown, first as a student and player, then as an educator and now as a coach,” Little said. “I am ecstatic. I wake up in the middle of the night and ask myself, ‘I’m really able to do this? I really get to do this?’ I am overjoyed to have the opportunity to run this program.”
