Bridgeport’s David Marshall named 2024-25 NFHS National Coach of the Year for Boys Basketball

INDIANAPOLIS — Bridgeport High School boys basketball coach David Marshall has been named a 2024–25 National Coach of the Year by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), earning one of the organization’s highest national honors.

The NFHS, which has been recognizing coaches through an awards program since 1982, honors coaches in the top 10 girls sports and top 10 boys sports (by participation numbers), and in two “other” sports – one for boys and one for girls – that are not included in the top 10 listings. The NFHS also recognizes a spirit coach and an Adapted/Allied/Unified coach in separate award categories. Winners of NFHS awards must be active coaches during the year for which they receive their award. This year’s awards recognize coaches for the 2024-25 school year.

Marshall has guided the Bridgeport High School boys basketball team since 2019 after serving as the school’s girls basketball coach from 1995 to 2014. He led the girls team to back-to-back state titles in 2012 and 2013 and guided the boys team to a 26-1 record last year and the West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission (WVSSAC) Class 3A state title. Overall, his 27-year coaching record is 459-181. Among his awards, he was selected WVSSAC Boys Basketball Coach of the Year in 2025, and he was the recipient of the Van Meter Award last year as the state’s top high school coach for all sports. He previously was the West Virginia Coaches Association Girls Basketball Coach of the Year and was the Big 10 Conference Girls Basketball Coach of the Year eight times. Marshall encourages his players to develop the work ethic, character, accountability and loyalty to help them become productive members of society as leaders in the community and workplace, and as husbands and fathers.

The NFHS Coaches Association awards program begins with nominations submitted by member state associations, which work with state coaches’ associations to identify candidates. Coaches complete a profile outlining their record, professional involvement, community engagement, and coaching philosophy. Approved nominees advance from the state level to sectional consideration across eight geographic regions nationwide. Sectional committees review candidates and forward top selections to the NFHS Coaches Association Advisory Committee, which determines national award recipients.

During the 2024–25 academic year, 997 coaches nationwide were recognized at the state, sectional, and national levels.