Utterback named new head coach at Gallatin County

At a Gallatin County School Board meeting Thursday night, GCHS athletic director Craig Utterback was named the school's new boys' basketball coach

The Gallatin County school board approved the hiring of Utterback by a 6-1 vote in public session.

Utterback, who has spent the last two seasons as Tiffany Sauls' assistant on the girls' bench, said this is the next challenge in what has been a 12 year career to date.

Prior to coming to Gallatin County, Utterback spent one year at Newton and before that was at Martinsville and Robinson with Robinson being the longest tenured stop at seven years. Utterback said his time spent at those school's were mostly coaching junior high boys and girls teams.

"This will be a new challenge for me," Utterback said Friday afternoon. "When the opening came up, I just felt like it was the right time and this is a tremendous program. I'm just hoping to carry on what they have built.

"I'm not going to recreate the wheel here," Utterback added. "I'm just looking to bring what I can to this program and enhance what was built before me and keep the program going."

Utterback replaces Jeff Hermann, who in one year led Gallatin County to a 23-10 record, going 6-1 in the Greater Egyptian Conference and won a regional, beating Hardin County 64-52. It was the school's second regional in the last four years. Gallatin County's season ended with a 53-41 loss to Woodlawn in the semifinals of the 1A Sectional.

Hermann took over for Doug Miller, who took the same position at his alma mater Hamilton County last year. Miller had previously spent the last four years as the Hawks' head coach going 69-46 with a regional title in the 2016-17 season.

"The time I got to spend with those kids last year was very special," Hermann said. "We were able to accomplish a lot and we achieved one goal by winning a regional. For me to be a part of the program, not just last year, but for the last few years and see it grow the way it has means everything to me."

Utterback will stay on as the school's athletic director and says he is looking forward to that first day of practice.

"I just want to build on what we already have here. This is a tremendous school that has tremendous kids and I'm looking forward to working with them."

Spyder Dann covers prep and college sports for the Southern Illinois Local Media News Group. Follow him on Twitter: @spydieshooter.