That was shortly after he led the Ishpeming girls to their second state championship in three years. Reaching that lofty a goal had never come close to being attained even once previously.

And likely because of his success, he was named the 2026 Girls Overall Coach of the Year by the Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan this spring.

The BCAM is the main organization for high school coaches in the state. While not every coach is a member, a check of its membership lists shows every high school varsity head coach in Marquette and Baraga counties is a member, along with Munising in Alger County. A vast majority of other schools both around the Upper Peninsula and throughout the Lower Peninsula are also members.

The BCAM puts out an extensive list of awards each spring, including the best players, best shooters, academic teams and top coaches for those who are members.

Marquette's Pavel McCutcheon, right, goes up for a shot before being fouled by Kingsford defender Alex Erickson during their game played at the Sentinels’ gym in Marquette on Dec. 18. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)

Reichel was first voted in Region 15 — the U.P. — as Girls Regional Coach of the Year by the organization’s membership.

Then a Coach of the Year Committee picked state coaches of the year, with one for each of the MHSAA’s four divisions and the Overall Coach of the Year.

All of this came about after the Hematites compiled a 25-3 record last season, including seven straight victories in the MHSAA Division 4 tournament, culminating in a 48-28 win over Portland St. Patrick in the state title game on March 21 at Michigan State University in East Lansing.

Reichel helped Ishpeming hone its edge during the regular season, as all three of its losses came to teams two divisions above it in Division 2 — Negaunee, Gladstone and Houghton. And the Hematites also defeated the Miners and Braves in the other game they played against each of those opponents.

With the regional setup of the voting, Reichel was the only U.P. coach earning any of the girls’ coaching awards from the BCAM.

In Region 15 voting, Reichel received 49 of 73 first-place votes, while seven went to Mike O’Donnell of Negaunee, who led the Miners to a just-as-nifty 23-2 record, their only losses coming to Ishpeming and to Petoskey in the MHSAA Division 2 regionals.

With votes also tabulated for second and third places, Reichel received 272 voting points and O’Donnell 146 as Jacyln Besonen of Ewen-Trout Creek, Lucas Chouinard of Menominee and Pat Bennin of Sault Ste. Marie were also on the regional ballot.

In boys coach of the year balloting, Sam Larson of Menominee won the Region 15 vote, with John Fattal of downstate Freeland named 2026 Boys Overall Coach of the Year.

There were several other awards also handed out by the BCAM:

Team First Award

This award allows BCAM coaches to choose one player from their teams to receive this honor.

“The Team First Award is given to one member per varsity team who is chosen by their BCAM Member Coach,” the introduction to the list of award winners states. “This team member should be the person who most exemplifies putting team before self, teamwork, commitment, service and sacrifice.”

Nine players or other members of their teams from Marquette, Baraga and Alger counties were chosen.

The girls players picked were Janelle Seelen of Ishpeming, Sadie Rogers of Negaunee, Kylie Smith of Marquette, Morgan Schneider of Westwood and Allyssa Holley of Baraga.

Boys team members chosen were Nolan Connaughton of Munising, Darius Weber of Ishpeming, Pavel McCutcheon of Marquette and team manager Maddie Rye of Westwood.

Outstanding Senior Athlete

Mainly an academic award, three-quarters of the 16 area players who were honored were girls players.

Criteria was being a senior, playing basketball for all four years of high school and having a minimum 3.80 cumulative grade-point average.

Marquette had the most girls honored with four — Kylie Smith with a 4.05 GPA, Alexis Curran at 3.999, Kyna Berry at 3.929 and Alexa Whaley at 3.912.

Negaunee and Westwood each had three honorees, that entire half-dozen having perfect 4.00 GPAs.

The Miners were Kayleigh Manninen, Clare O’Donnell and Liliana Saunders, while the Patriots making the grade were Kaylin Doney, Makayla Fisher and Morgan Schneider.

There were two more 4.00 GPA students from the area receiving the award — Ishpeming’s Janelle Seelen and Munising’s Olivia Cotey.

Among the boys, Munising and Westwood each had two players honored.

For the Mustangs, it was Dylan Adkinson and Nolan Connaughton, both with 4.00 GPAs, while for the Patriots it was Caden Balzarini with a 3.911 GPA and Louis Salmi with a 3.862 GPA.

From other areas of the U.P., the girls also held rein, with 22 of the 32 being girls.

Here is a list of those other U.P. honorees by school and with their GPAs:

Girls — Ewen-Trout Creek: Emma Besonen, 4.0; Hannah Ferguson, 3.968. Forest Park: Lily Sarder, 4.0; Elsie Williams, 4.0. Houghton: Romi Mattson, 4.013; Lexi Burns, 4.004; Tessa Rautiola, 4.004; Jacey Sleeman, 4.0. Ironwood: Jacinta Lauzon, 4.1228; Jada Godfrey, 3.8167. Mackinac Island: Emma Duke, 3.8. Menominee: Emily Schuettpelz, 4.0; Ella Fox, 3.99; Gianna Coduti, 3.90; Brianna Ary, 3.84; Richele Milostan, 3.81. Rapid River: Angelina Goodman, 3.95614; Aubrey Olson, 3.91892. St. Ignace: Addison Winberg, 4.118; Avery Visnaw, 4.063; Hannah Gady, 4.050; Tayah Shepard, 4.004.

Boys — Calumet: Peter Torola, 3.84. Escanaba: Taylor Asgaard, 4.2. Kingsford: Jack Kriegl, 4.0; Sid Olson, 3.813. Menominee: Landen Daigneau, 3.92; Jacob Schultz, 3.81. Pickford: Mac Collins, 3.90; Gunner Bennin, 3.82. Rudyard: Jaxon Clark, 4.0; Steven Kirschner, 4.0.

Story contents based on an examination of the Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan website, bcam.org. Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee’s email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.