New Trier names new girls basketball coach — just the third since the 1980s

The next era of New Trier girls basketball starts now.

The reins of the program have been passed to Stephanie Kuzmanic, a former Leyden High School head coach (2014-’21) and Illinois State University assistant coach (2021-’23) who has been with the Trevians program for two years.

“I want to obviously thank the administration and the athletic department for the opportunity,” Kuzmanic said. “I am grateful to be a part of the New Trier community. Being here already, seeing how special the place is, I’m excited and I’m up for the challenge.” 

Kuzmanic replaces Teri Rodgers, a hall-of-fame Trevians coach who retired following the 2024-’25 campaign after 27 seasons, more than 600 career wins, 15 regional championships, eight sectional championships and three state trophies.

Rodgers’ predecessor, John Schneiter, also a hall of famer, was a 300-win coach in his 26 seasons beginning when New Trier formed one program in 1982. Kuzmanic becomes just the third New Trier girls basketball head coach in 43 years.

“Teri has done phenomenal job and John before her,” she said. “I’m grateful to be able to lead a program that already has a storied past, and all the challenges and expectations and pressures that come with that. I think all the stops in my coaching career have prepared me for that. It excites me.”

Kuzmanic was a preps basketball star at Wheeling High School, and the Wildcats racked up more than 100 wins and three league titles in her four years in the program (2006-’10). Wheeling finished third in state in 2009.

She then became an All-America guard at Carthage College, for which Kuzmanic holds two records: most assists in a season (202) and most assists in a game (17). She was inducted into the Carthage Athletic Hall of Fame in 2020.

A daughter of basketball coaches (Bob and Teresa Kuzmanic), Stephanie Kuzmanic said coaching “is in my DNA” and jumped into the ranks right out of college. She began coaching with Leyden as well as the AAU program All In Athletics before moving on to Illinois State, under head coach Kristen Gillespie, in 2021.

“I think I always knew I wanted to be a coach,” said Kuzmanic, whose two sisters Kellie Braase (Wheeling) and Deanna Kuzmanic (Maine West) are also girls basketball coaches in the area. “As I started playing in college, I just realized my love for coaching. I’ve always had amazing coaches and mentors myself and knew I wanted to coach.”

Kuzmanic described herself as an “extremely passionate, energetic and caring” coach who leads with positivity.

“I’m very passionate about the game of basketball and passionate about developing young athletes,” she said. “New Trier is a good place to be.”

The Trevians are coming off a 16-15 season that ended in heartbreaking fashion in the regional championship. Many contributors, including three starters (sophomores Emerson Buck and Vic Wainscott, and junior Avery Schecter), are set to return next season.

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