Montverde, Fla. (May 19, 2026) – After leading Montverde Academy to a Nike EYBL Scholastic Regular Season Championship and an appearance in the Chipotle High School Nationals in his first season at the helm, boys national basketball coach Steve Turner has been named the 2025-26 Ballislife.com National Coach of the Year.
Turner guided the Eagles to a 23-7 overall record and an appearance in the Chipotle Nationals championship game while helping MVA reestablish itself among the nation's elite programs despite facing significant adversity throughout the season.
After an 0-3 start to the season and multiple key injuries early in the year, Turner helped the Eagles quickly find their identity and turn into one of the top teams in high school basketball this year. MVA earned one of its biggest wins of the season by defeating nationally number one ranked Prolific Prep to capture the City of Palms Signature Series championship before going undefeated at 9-0 in EYBL Scholastic Eastern Division play.
The Eagles finished 11-3 overall in EYBL Scholastic regular season play before earning a bid into the Chipotle High School Nationals tournament where they beat Prolific Prep in the quarterfinal round and earned a double overtime win against nationally number one ranked AZ Compass in the semifinal round.
Before arriving at Montverde Academy, Turner built one of the nation's most respected high school basketball programs at Gonzaga College High School in Washington, D.C., compiling a 497-176 career record while competing in the nationally-renowned Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC). He earned his 500th career win after the Eagles beat Gillion Academy 67-61 in the first round of the City of Palms Signature Series tournament on December 19.
Turner now becomes just the second coach from a Florida program to receive Ballislife.com National Coach of the Year honors since the award's inception during the 1969-70 season.
The award is the latest of a plethora of honors throughout his career. Earlier this year, Turner earned the Nike EYBL Scholastic Coach of the Year and was selected as a finalist for the Naismith National Coach of the Year award. Prior to this year, Turner had earned the WCAC Coach of the Year six times and was named the 2016 Gatorade National Coach of the Year.
About Montverde Academy:
Montverde Academy is a private, independent college preparatory school for grades Pre-K3 through post-graduate studies, with a boarding program serving grades 7-12 representing 70+ nationalities. Our mission is to inspire students to become knowledgeable leaders with global vision and passion for learning, in a disciplined and diverse community that nurtures character development. For more information, visit us online at Montverde.org and at MVASports.com.
