Hernandez Steps Down as Saints Coach

Seward County will have a new men’s basketball coach next season.  Coach Rylee Hernandez has stepped down at Seward head coach.  Hernandez coached the Saints four years.  The Saints were 3-26 this season with a 2-22 KJCCC record.  The Saints were 35-87 the past four years.  The Saints were 11-20 in 2022, 13-18 in 2023, and 8-23 in 2024.

Hernandez was highly successful at Williston State before coming to SCCC leading that program for five seasons.  His Williston St team won their region in 2019 advancing to Hutchinson.  In 2020, Williston made it to the semis.  He was the first Williston coach to beat Western Nebraska, CSI, Casper, and Southeastern Iowa.

The Saints haven’t had a winning season since 2020 when they went 17-14.  The last conference and Region 6 title came in 2019 when Seward was 28-6.

Dave Brown has the most wins in program history going 253-104 from 1996-2004.  Bryan Zollinger went 227-107 from 2008-2018.  Dale Reed was 224-168 from 1986-1996.  Jason Sautter was 67-42 from 2018-2021.

The Saints have finished third three times in the NJCAA Tournament taking home the bronze in 1998, 2008, and 2012.  Seward has six Region 6 titles in 1985, 1995, 1998, 2008, 2012, and 2019.