Ratay out, Nocella in at Hoffman Estates
Just four months after retiring from Prospect High School, where he served as the school girls basketball coach for the past 11 years, Mike Nocella has landed another head coaching position in the Mid-Suburban League.
Nocella has been named the girls basketball coach at Hoffman Estates High School, where Alicia Ratay has stepped down after one season as the head coach to pursue a career in the WNBA.
Nocella was the second girls basketball head coach at Prospect, replacing Jean Walker, for whom the school's field house is named.
"I'm excited about the new challenge," Nocella said. "I've been told we have some good young players at Hoffman Estates.
"I've been spending the last few days getting organized and I think the staff and players will appreciate that."
Nocella made the Knights one of the most respected and competitive programs in the northwest suburbs.
Under his direction, they won the Mid-Suburban East title twice, three regional crowns and a combined six tourney championships at the Lyons and McHenry tourneys.
Coincidentally, Nocella will return to the McHenry tourney this winter with the Hawks, who play in the MSL West.
Prospect also had some impressive wins at the prestigious Dundee-Crown tourney under Nocella.
"Mike is a great man," said Hoffman Estates athletic director Gene Curran. "I'm looking forward to him joining us and doing the job. He had a number of successful years at Prospect.
"He brings a coaching style and philosophy that impressed us. We are looking forward to him running our program."
Nocella will be assisted by Fred Byrant, a former boys basketball head coach at Hoffman, who was also Ratay's assistant last winter.
Nocella was recognized last spring with a special service award for all his contributions to Prospect High School since he joined the staff in 1985.
He actually served District 214 for 32 years.
Nocella played on the Galesburg High School basketball team which went 20-7 and defeated No. 1-ranked Quincy 61-57 in the sectional finals his senior year.
He earned a bachelor's degree in education from Western Illinois and student taught at Lyons Township High School before being hired by Arlington High School in 1975.
He served as a drafting teacher until the school closed in 1984.
Nocella started his basketball coaching career at Arlington under boys head coach George Zigman in 1976 and was on the staff when the Cardinals made the Elite Eight in 1984.
He received his first coaching job in girls sports by Walker, Prospect girls athletic director, in 1994. He was assigned to the sophomore team.