Annie Malkowiak to coach Mt. Pleasant boys basketball, a 1st for Westmoreland County

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Wednesday, June 28, 2023 | 4:21 PM

Mt. Pleasant’s boys basketball team will have a female head coach next season.

Annie Malkowiak was approved unanimously for the position during Wednesday night’s school board meeting.

She becomes the first woman to coach a varsity boys basketball team in Westmoreland County.

Malkowiak is the second woman to currently coach a boys basketball team in the WPIAL, joining Tanya Garner of Nazareth Prep. Garner, a former standout at West Mifflin, began coaching at Nazareth Prep last season.

In 1997, Carol Gelet guided the Clairton boys to a WPIAL championship. At the time, she was believed to be just the second woman to coach a boys basketball team in District 7 history.

Malkowiak coached four seasons with the women’s basketball team at Cal (Pa.), her college alma mater where she is a hall of fame player.

An Ellwood City graduate, she also served as associate director of athletic relations at Cal.

At the high school level, she was a head coach for the Uniontown girls and served as an assistant girls coach at California.

Malkowiak scored 2,368 points in a standout prep career at Ellwood City. She was the first girl from Beaver County to score 2,000 points.

Malkowiak replaces T.J. Kravits, who resigned after three seasons. Kravits was 17-44 with one playoff appearance.

Mt. Pleasant also is seeking a wrestling coach after the resignation of Zach Snyder.

The district hopes to have someone hired by August.

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

Tags: Mt. Pleasant