Coach Kiernan will begin his 17th season at Mater Dei High School in 2022-2023 and he has made an indelible mark on a program that is incredibly rich in tradition. Coach Kiernan's tenure at Mater Dei has been nothing short of remarkable. Coach Kiernan has won two National Championships, three State Championships, six CIF Championships and six Southern California Regional Championships. The 2021-2022 season ended with a 23-6 overall record, 15h consecutive Trinity League Championship and 2021 CIF Open Division Champions making it back 2 back years. Coach Kiernan became the all time winningest girls basketball coach in California History this during 2019-2020 season. In 2011, Coach Kiernan was selected as the Orange County Register and Los Angeles Times Coach of the Year as well as the CIF Division 1AA Coach of the Year and the National High School Coaches Association National Coach of the Year.
In 15 years at Mater Dei, Coach Kiernan's teams are 421-51, and he owns a 920-181 career record. In 2011 Mater Dei became the first girls basketball team in five years to finish No. 1 in the USA Today Super 25 in consecutive seasons, and the newspaper also named Coach Kiernan its National Coach of the Year in 2010. Further, in 2006 Coach Kiernan was named the WBCA High School Coach of the Year. While at Troy High School Coach Kiernan had 24 of his players go on to play college basketball and has sent 35+ Mater Dei players to the college ranks.
KIERNAN'S ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
- 41`-51 RECORD
- 15 LEAGUE TITLES
- WINNINGEST GIRLS BASKETBALL COACH IN CALIFORNIA HISTORY
- 7 CIF CHAMPIONSHIPS
- 6 SOCAL REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
- 3 STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS
- 2 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
- 2020 CIF OPEN DIVISION COACH OF THE YEAR
- USA TODAY NATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR (2010)
- LA TIMES AND OC REGISTER COACH OF THE YEAR (2011)
- CIF DIVISION IAA COACH OF THE YEAR (2011)
- NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL COACHES ASSOCIATION NATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR (2011)
- 2015 OCO ORANGE COUNTY COACH OF THE YEAR
- 2015 CAA SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA COACH OF THE YEAR
- 2015 CALIFORNIA COACHES ASSOCIATION STATE GIRLS BASKETBALL COACH OF THE YEAR
- 2016 CIF CHAMPIONS FOR CHARACTER AWARD
TROY HS - 11 SEASONS
- 317-33 RECORD
- 11 UNDEFEATED LEAGUE TITLES (110-0)
- 5 CIF CHAMPIONSHIP
- 3 STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS
- NATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR (2006)
VARSITY ASSISTANT - PETE BONNY
Coach Bonny also enters his 17th season at Mater Dei High School, after spending the previous nine seasons as Kiernan's assistant at Troy High School. Together at Troy, they won 5 CIF Championships, 3 State Championships and 8 undefeated league championships. Prior to Troy, Bonny was the head girls' basketball coach at Marina High School. He led those teams to 6 league championships and a CIF title in his stint. He compiled a record of 222-61 while the coach at Marina and was named coach of the year 6 times!
VARSITY ASSISTANT - JESSE VARGAS
Coach Vargas is entering his 10th season at Mater Dei High School. He comes to us from Westminster High School where he was Freshmen Head coach and Varsity assistant coach from 2005-2009 in the boys program. In 2010 he switched over to the girls side where he was named Associate Head Coach and was mentored by Hall of Fame Coach Dick Katz. Together from 2010 - 2014 they led WHS to the CIF playoffs in Four consecutive seasons. They also won 3 Straight Goldenwest League Titles compiling a 35-5 League Record.
VARSITY ASSISTANT - ALYSA ITO
Coach Ito is in her 7th season at Mater Dei. She joins Mater Dei from Hawaii Pacific University where she was a Graduate Assistant coach from 2013-2016. There, she helped the Sharks to a NCAA Division II Tournament appearance in 2015, the 2015 PacWest Conference Championship, and the 2015 PacWest Tournament Championship. She earned a Master’s in Business Administration in Finance and Marketing from Hawai’i Pacific University in 2016, and a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from Sonoma State University in 2013.
Coach Ito was a four year scholar athlete. She began her collegiate playing career at Cal State Fullerton. She then transferred to Fullerton College where she lead her team and conference in steals and assists. She helped #1 in the state Fullerton College to an impressive 28-3 record, and 12-0 in conference play. Earning All-Tournament Honors as well as an OEC Championship. She finished her playing career at Sonoma State University. Where she led the team in assists and steals and helped them get to the CCAA Conference Tournament. Coach Ito is an Alumni of Troy High School where she played for Coach Kiernan and Coach Bonny in 2005-2007 before they joined Mater Dei.
VARSITY ASSISTANT - BRIAN BRENNAN
Bio Coming Soon!
VARSITY ASSISTANT - JODY WYNN
BIO COMING SOON!
JUNIOR VARSITY HEAD COACH - CLAYTON OLIVIER
Coach Olivier is entering his 13th season of coaching at Mater Dei High School. Coach Olivier was an accomplished All-American at USC and a former NBA player. As an avid USC fan, Coach Olivier is on the athletic board at USC.
FROSH/SOPH HEAD COACH - GRACELYNN FIGUEROA
Gracelynn is Mater Dei Alum and is in her 2nd year as a coach. She played junior college basketball at Orange Coast College and is great addition to our program.
