New Trier names new head coaches for girls wrestling and water polo

Two girls athletics programs at New Trier High School have new leaders, the school announced this summer.

Andrew Ortman is the school’s first girls wrestling head coach, and John Przekota will be on deck for Trevians girls water polo.

With girls wrestling on the rise across the nation, New Trier debuted a program and the IHSA introduced a state series for the sport in 2022. Last season, the Trevians, with a roster of 10, won the inaugural Central Suburban League team title. New Trier also qualified two wrestlers — Nina Aceves and Jillian Giller — for the state championships.

Ortman is essentially a lifelong wrestler who led Aptakisic Junior High’s program, out of Buffalo Grove, for the past 12 years. He has also coached wrestling at Stevenson and Prospect high schools.

“When this opportunity became available, it seemed like something I really wanted to pursue — to teach at a school like New Trier and be part of growing girls wrestling at New Trier,” he said.

Through his time coaching the sport, Ortman has worked with girl wrestlers here and there, and he celebrated that girls now have their own program.

He said wrestling alongside boys has kept some female athletes from joining the sport. At New Trier, the girls team will also have its own wrestling space.

“This new opportunity for girls to have their own entity, own team, I think is the coolest thing in the world,” he said. “I am really excited to grow girls wrestling in the state and nationwide.”

One of Ortman’s proudest achievements in his coaching career thus far is filling Aptakisic Junior High’s wrestling room.

He said when he took over Aptakisic wrestling, the program had about 10 participants, and when he left, that number was at more than 60. He hopes to do something similar at New Trier.

“Growing the program is a huge goal of mine,” he said. “Hopefully in two or three years we get up into the 20s or 30s (in number of participants).”

Przekota has a different challenge ahead of him.

New Trier girls water polo is amid its best run in program history, meaning he has big shoes to fill after the departure of 14-year head coach Matt Wendt.

The Trevians have qualified for the state finals in four of the past five seasons and eight of the last 10. They won four state trophies in that time, including three straight from 2019-’22.

Przekota, an assistant New Trier swimming and water polo coach the past three seasons, is stepping up with an eye on taking the program even further.

“Matt (Wendt) got them on an incredible run. I’m hoping to continue that, build on it and get that state championship,” he said.

Przekota, who grew up playing water polo, was an All-State performer at St. Patrick High School in Chicago and competed at Iona College. Four of his brothers also played water polo at Iona and have stayed involved with the sport. One of his sister-in-laws, Kim Przekota, is the head coach for the Loyola Academy girls program, and another, Kristie Przekota, the head coach of Maine South’s girls.

As for John, he has racked up more than 20 years of water polo coaching experience between St. Pat’s, Niles West, Glenbrook North and New Trier high school. He said he’s looking forward to a head coaching gig — and at New Trier specifically.

“They value athletic competition, they understand athletic competition and not only the school but the parents,” Przekota said. “It’s just amazing the support and vibe you get.

“There’s a feeder program, the kids are typically involved in offseason work. They really get competition and support competition and want to be the best they can be.”

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