DARLINGTON - Tom Uppena will be the next Darlington High School boys basketball head coach.
The Darlington school board voted unanimously Monday to hire Uppena as the next coach. Uppena will replace former coach Mike Hopkins who retired from coaching in July citing health concerns. Hopkins coached the Darlington boys basketball team for two stints for 19 years total.
Uppena is entering his sixth year as a guidance counselor at Darlington High School; he coached the junior varsity boys basketball team for the past four years and the freshman boys basketball team for one year before that.
"It's an exciting opportunity for me," Uppena said. "I look forward to seeing what I can do for the Darlington boys basketball program. I'm hoping I can continue to improve on what we have started."
Darlington was on the verge of making a run to the state tournament last year. La Crosse Aquinas defeated Darlington in a WIAA Division 4 sectional championship game 50-49.
"The reason I wanted to be a head coach is I wanted to build a program from the bottom up," Uppena said. "We do have a good team returning and there will be some high expectations."
Uppena is a 2006 University of Wisconsin-Platteville graduate who played basketball for the Pioneers. His father, Dennis Uppena, is a Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Hall of Famer who coached for 29 years at Cassville. Dennis Uppena racked up a career record of 441-237 with nine conference championships, three state championships and three state runner-up finishes.
"He (Dennis Uppena) was the first person I called," Tom Uppena said when he was informed he got the coaching position. "He's been very influential in my life and not just in basketball. I saw him do it the right way. He told me if I do what I think is right and work hard then I can be satisfied with whatever happens."
Darlington Activities Director Kurt Cohen was sold on hiring Uppena because of his familiarity with the Redbirds' program and his pedigree of success, which includes winning a state title playing for his father.
"He (Uppena) has been in the program and that was part of our decision," Cohen said. "We were very impressed with Tom's approach to the whole program. We have a good team coming back this year. Tom knows the program and will be here for the long haul. He's ready to hit the ground running."
Cohen said Darlington has posted a varsity reserve coaching position and a JV coaching position.
The Darlington school board voted unanimously Monday to hire Uppena as the next coach. Uppena will replace former coach Mike Hopkins who retired from coaching in July citing health concerns. Hopkins coached the Darlington boys basketball team for two stints for 19 years total.
Uppena is entering his sixth year as a guidance counselor at Darlington High School; he coached the junior varsity boys basketball team for the past four years and the freshman boys basketball team for one year before that.
"It's an exciting opportunity for me," Uppena said. "I look forward to seeing what I can do for the Darlington boys basketball program. I'm hoping I can continue to improve on what we have started."
Darlington was on the verge of making a run to the state tournament last year. La Crosse Aquinas defeated Darlington in a WIAA Division 4 sectional championship game 50-49.
"The reason I wanted to be a head coach is I wanted to build a program from the bottom up," Uppena said. "We do have a good team returning and there will be some high expectations."
Uppena is a 2006 University of Wisconsin-Platteville graduate who played basketball for the Pioneers. His father, Dennis Uppena, is a Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Hall of Famer who coached for 29 years at Cassville. Dennis Uppena racked up a career record of 441-237 with nine conference championships, three state championships and three state runner-up finishes.
"He (Dennis Uppena) was the first person I called," Tom Uppena said when he was informed he got the coaching position. "He's been very influential in my life and not just in basketball. I saw him do it the right way. He told me if I do what I think is right and work hard then I can be satisfied with whatever happens."
Darlington Activities Director Kurt Cohen was sold on hiring Uppena because of his familiarity with the Redbirds' program and his pedigree of success, which includes winning a state title playing for his father.
"He (Uppena) has been in the program and that was part of our decision," Cohen said. "We were very impressed with Tom's approach to the whole program. We have a good team coming back this year. Tom knows the program and will be here for the long haul. He's ready to hit the ground running."
Cohen said Darlington has posted a varsity reserve coaching position and a JV coaching position.
