Tri-West Coach Tommy Strine Resigns After Two Seasons, 32-17 Record

Tommy Strine announced his resignation as Tri-West High School’s head boys basketball coach on March 4, 2026, coming after the Bruins’ 59-35 loss to Brebeuf Jesuit in the first round of Class 3A Sectional 25 at Frankfort. Strine leaves after two seasons with a 32-17 overall record; this season the Bruins finished 14-10 and deployed a lineup composed entirely of non-seniors.

Strine offered brief public remarks about his exit, saying he was “thankful for the opportunity” and that he “will look forward to the next opportunity that arises.” He said he plans to coach again but declined to expand further on his decision to resign from Tri-West. A social media post confirming the resignation reiterated the 32-17 two-season mark.

On-court production this season centered on three underclassmen identified as the Bruins’ top producers. Junior guard Ryan Miller averaged 14.3 points and 2.8 assists per game, junior forward Jaxon Paris averaged 10.3 points and 4.5 rebounds, and sophomore guard Daniel Thomas averaged 10.6 points and 2.9 assists. Those statistics anchor a season that ended with the sectional loss in Frankfort, eliminating Tri-West in the first round of Sectional 25.

Strine publicly praised Tri-West athletic director Scott Knapp in his statement, saying, “I would like it known that Scott Knapp runs an amazing athletic department and I’m proud to have worked for him. He did not factor into my decision in the slightest.” Strine’s résumé includes college-level coaching stops at IU Indy, Lamar, Cleveland State and American, a background that preceded his two seasons leading the Bruins.

The sectional defeat to Brebeuf Jesuit closed the Bruins’ 2025-26 campaign and set an immediate question for Tri-West’s program leadership; initial coverage did not include an announcement of an interim coach or a timeline for a search. Strine reiterated his intention to return to coaching when the right opportunity presents itself, leaving Tri-West with an underclass core—Miller, Paris and Thomas—who will form the nucleus of the roster next season.

With the season ended at Frankfort and the coach’s March 4 resignation official, Tri-West’s next steps will shape whether the program builds continuity around its non-senior contributors or embarks on a broader coaching change following a 32-17 two-season run under Strine.