Mankins resigns as Greensburg Salem boys basketball coach

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, June 15, 2018 | 8:57 PM

Needing to tend to some personal issues at home with his family, Craig Mankins resigned as boys basketball coach at Greensburg Salem.

Mankins coached the Golden Lions for six seasons and compiled a record of 48-87 with three WPIAL playoff appearances.

Greensburg Salem finished 12-11 last season and lost to Trinity in the first round of the Class 5A playoffs.

“I loved working with the team the last six years,” Mankins said. “It was so tough to tell them (the news he was resigning) … the look on some of their faces.

“I have to take care of my family right now. That's the most important thing.”

Mankins, the director of golf at Hannastown Golf Club in Greensburg since 2009, will not get to officially coach his son, Jeffrey, who will be a junior guard on the team. His wife, Lisa, also is leaving the program after serving as an assistant coach.

Craig and Lisa also have two daughters coming up in the girls basketball program.

Craig Mankins coached the boys team at Penns Manor from 2002-06 and was an assistant with the Elderton girls and Indiana boys.

He replaced longtime Greensburg Salem coach Paul Sapotichne, who coached the Golden Lions for 29 years and won 399 games.

“I have worked with some amazing people,” Craig Mankins said. “I could not have asked for a better AD (athletic director) in Lynn Jobe.”

Change is in the air at Salem. Jobe announced her retirement after more than three decades in the district. She has been AD since 2010.

Bill Beckner Jr. is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at bbeckner@tribweb.com or via Twitter @BillBeckner.