Central, Notre Dame and Woodland high schools recognized for coaches of the year by state association

A Wednesday morning, Oct. 9, news release revealed the 2023-24 NFHS/MSHSAA State Coach of the Year winners.

Every MSHSAA sport nominated its coach of the year, making for 21 different awards across the state.

The selection process consists of a few things, as MSHSAA looks to select a coach that embodies a handful of qualities, detailed in its release.

“This award is presented to an individual who has made a life-long commitment to the ideals of coaching interscholastic sports,” MSHSAA wrote.

Southeast Missouri brought home three awards, including the reigning Semoball Coach of the Year, as well as a finalist.

Ryan Layton of Woodland secured the 2023-24 Boys Cross Country award after his Cardinals took home a state championship in 2023, with son Reed Layton winning the individual state title.

Dayna Powell of Cape Central was crowned the 2023-24 Girls Swimming and Diving award winner after she brought the team its first state championship, having won three already with the boys team.

And for the spring season, Ryan Long of Notre Dame took the 2023-24 Girls Track and Field award after helping the Bulldogs to a third-place finish in Class 3, including a 3,200m run state title from Lauren Eftink, now at Southeast Missouri State.

"On behalf of MSHSAA, I would like to extend our heartfelt congratulations to the 2023-24 Coach of the Year winners,” MSHSAA executive director Jennifer Rukstad said.

“Your dedication, leadership and commitment to excellence have made a profound impact on the student-athletes you mentor.”

Ryan Layton was named the 2024 Semoball Coach of the Year at the 2024 Semoball Awards over the summer, taking the crown over finalist Dayna Powell, who’s been in that situation before.

Powell took home the honor of Semoball’s Coach of the Year in 2018 amid the heights of three consecutive state championships with the Cape Central boys swimming and diving team, and she’s been named a finalist three times to date.