IBCA Names York, Kahle and Thomas as 2026 Assistant Coaches of the Year

The Indiana Basketball Coaches Association named three of the state's most tenured sideline contributors its 2026 Assistant Coaches of the Year on March 23, recognizing Rob York of Greencastle, Ron Kahle of Gibson Southern and Bill Thomas of Fishers for careers built almost entirely in the background.

The awards will be presented during the 2026 IBCA Clinic on April 23-24 at Mt. Vernon High School in Fortville. This marks the ninth year the IBCA has formally recognized assistant coaches with the honor.

York brings the longest Greencastle-specific tenure of the three honorees: 19 seasons as a boys' assistant, dating to 2007. He spent his first nine seasons alongside former head coach Troy Greenlee before transitioning seamlessly to support current head coach Bryce Rector for the past 10 seasons. Rector made clear in his nomination that York's value extends well beyond the clipboard.

"Rob York is one of the most dedicated coaches I have been around," Rector said. "He is always the positive voice in practice, whether that be serving as a positive supporter for our players after a tough loss or pulling a player who is struggling on or off the floor aside and having a heart-to-heart conversation with him. He is a coach who truly cares about the players during their time in our basketball program but also their life after playing basketball at Greencastle."

Rector also recalled the moment he realized York would be indispensable to the Tiger Cubs program: "Rob was one of the first people I met when I became head coach, and I immediately could see that he was going to be a key part of the program. In the first meeting, I remember Rob telling me that he was there to do whatever he could to support me and the program."

Kahle edges York for the longest single-program run in this class. The Gibson Southern girls' assistant has held that role for 20 seasons, but his coaching resume stretches far beyond the basketball court. Kahle previously won a state championship as a baseball coach at Tecumseh and also served as the Gibson Southern boys' track head coach. The IBCA's own language captured his standing plainly: "To say that Ron Kahle is committed to serve the youth in his community would be a large understatement."

Thomas rounds out the class with nine seasons as Fishers' girls assistant, a role that represents the latest stop in the most geographically diverse career of the three honorees. Before arriving in Fishers, Thomas coached at IUPUI, Hamilton, DeKalb, Carroll in Fort Wayne and Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian, a cross-state résumé that reflects a consistent commitment to developing players at every level of Indiana basketball.

Together, the three coaches account for 48 combined seasons of assistant work at their current programs alone. None of them hold the top job. All of them, by the IBCA's account, have made the top job easier.