Atchison High names former player Tyson Downing boys basketball coach

Atchison High is handing its boys basketball program to one of its own, naming Tyson Downing as head coach for the 2026-27 school year pending school board approval Monday. For players and families in Atchison, the hire puts a former Phoenix back in charge of the next rebuild, with someone who knows the school’s expectations, its gym, and the pressure that comes with wearing Atchison across the chest.

Downing played for Atchison High from 2009 to 2013 before moving on to the college and coaching ranks. Barton Community College said he arrived there in 2023 after playing at Neosho County Community College from 2013 to 2015 and later at Midland University in Fremont, Nebraska. Barton also said he became a full-time assistant on the men’s staff for the 2025-26 season after working with both the men’s and women’s programs.

The move gives Atchison a coach with more than just hometown ties. Barton said Downing’s three years on staff helped produce 86 wins, two conference titles and a national championship in the 2023-24 season. Jeremy Coombs, Barton’s head coach, responded to Downing’s departure with the message, “Go be GREAT!” That resume suggests Atchison is not simply filling a vacancy. It is trying to bring in a coach who has already worked inside a winning college culture and can bring that standard back to Atchison County.

That matters for the Phoenix, who reached the state tournament in March and beat McPherson 73-53 on March 11 before falling to Baldwin 65-45 on March 13. Downing inherits a program that has shown it can get to the postseason, but now faces the harder task of turning a short March run into a regular expectation. His local roots could also help in the offseason, where a coach who knows the community may be better positioned to set standards, tighten the connection with youth basketball, and keep younger players on a path toward the high school program.

The hire now goes to USD 409 Atchison Public Schools, which posts board agendas and recaps on its public meetings page. If approved, Downing will step into a role that carries both symbolism and responsibility, with Atchison betting that a familiar face can do more than preserve the program’s identity. The goal will be to make that hometown connection translate into tougher offseason habits, better continuity, and a stronger Phoenix team next winter.