Hey, Kate - Kind of a dated article. Didn't get much attention just before Christmas...
Was wondering if you'd heard any more on this?
Coach on leave for 'inappropriate behavior'
St. Mary's faculty member accused of 'inappropriate behavior' on trip
Lindsey Collom and Jose Garcia
The Arizona Republic
Dec. 22, 2006 12:00 AM
The head coach of St. Mary's High School girls varsity basketball team is on administrative leave while authorities look into allegations of "inappropriate behavior."
Details of the claims against Frank Denogean were not immediately clear, but the incident was alleged to have happened last week in Iowa during a basketball tournament.
The basketball team was in Sioux City last week for the 2006 Sacajawea Basketball Tournament, where St. Mary's took third place.
Reached by phone Thursday, Denogean would not comment on the allegations but said he "will be vindicated when this process is done."
Denogean was placed on leave Monday after parents alerted school officials. He will remain on leave pending the outcome of a police and/or internal investigation, said MaryBeth Mueller, superintendent of schools for the diocese.
In a letter dated Wednesday to parents and guardians, St. Mary's Principal Mark A. Mauro said the school and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix "remain committed to assisting the Catholic community in the prevention, reporting and healing of misconduct or abuse of minors."
The letter also indicated the "appropriate civil authorities have been contacted."
Sgt. Joel Tranter, a Phoenix police spokesman, said a law enforcement agency in Iowa is investigating the claim.
Former St. Mary's and Arizona State basketball star Kristen Kovesdy and her father, Frank, didn't hesitate to defend the coach. Kovesdy, who graduated from St. Mary's in 2002, said Denogean is a "great family guy."
"I think he's a great coach, and I'm a good friend of his," she said. "I don't have any bad words to say about him."
Frank Kovesdy said the coach was close to his daughter's activities with the team and he never heard about or saw behavior that could be considered inappropriate.
"Somebody needs to stand up for coach D," Kovesdy said. "He's a great person, more than a basketball coach. He believes in . . . all of those girls on his team. He goes far and above from what a basketball coach does."
A biology teacher, Denogean has taught and coached at St. Mary's for more than 20 years.
St. Mary's is the Class 5A Division I defending champion in girls basketball and has been to the state title game the past three years, winning twice. Under Denogean, St. Mary's has won four state championships and been runner-up twice. This year, the team is 6-3 and ranked fourth in 5A-I by The Arizona Republic.
Assistants Everett Largo and Stephen Neal will continue to coach the team. They resume play Wednesday against Marin Catholic from Kentfield, Calif., in the Nike Tournament of Champions II at Hamilton High School.
Was wondering if you'd heard any more on this?
Coach on leave for 'inappropriate behavior'
St. Mary's faculty member accused of 'inappropriate behavior' on trip
Lindsey Collom and Jose Garcia
The Arizona Republic
Dec. 22, 2006 12:00 AM
The head coach of St. Mary's High School girls varsity basketball team is on administrative leave while authorities look into allegations of "inappropriate behavior."
Details of the claims against Frank Denogean were not immediately clear, but the incident was alleged to have happened last week in Iowa during a basketball tournament.
The basketball team was in Sioux City last week for the 2006 Sacajawea Basketball Tournament, where St. Mary's took third place.
Reached by phone Thursday, Denogean would not comment on the allegations but said he "will be vindicated when this process is done."
Denogean was placed on leave Monday after parents alerted school officials. He will remain on leave pending the outcome of a police and/or internal investigation, said MaryBeth Mueller, superintendent of schools for the diocese.
In a letter dated Wednesday to parents and guardians, St. Mary's Principal Mark A. Mauro said the school and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix "remain committed to assisting the Catholic community in the prevention, reporting and healing of misconduct or abuse of minors."
The letter also indicated the "appropriate civil authorities have been contacted."
Sgt. Joel Tranter, a Phoenix police spokesman, said a law enforcement agency in Iowa is investigating the claim.
Former St. Mary's and Arizona State basketball star Kristen Kovesdy and her father, Frank, didn't hesitate to defend the coach. Kovesdy, who graduated from St. Mary's in 2002, said Denogean is a "great family guy."
"I think he's a great coach, and I'm a good friend of his," she said. "I don't have any bad words to say about him."
Frank Kovesdy said the coach was close to his daughter's activities with the team and he never heard about or saw behavior that could be considered inappropriate.
"Somebody needs to stand up for coach D," Kovesdy said. "He's a great person, more than a basketball coach. He believes in . . . all of those girls on his team. He goes far and above from what a basketball coach does."
A biology teacher, Denogean has taught and coached at St. Mary's for more than 20 years.
St. Mary's is the Class 5A Division I defending champion in girls basketball and has been to the state title game the past three years, winning twice. Under Denogean, St. Mary's has won four state championships and been runner-up twice. This year, the team is 6-3 and ranked fourth in 5A-I by The Arizona Republic.
Assistants Everett Largo and Stephen Neal will continue to coach the team. They resume play Wednesday against Marin Catholic from Kentfield, Calif., in the Nike Tournament of Champions II at Hamilton High School.
