By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Jessica Wendeln is excited about being named the new girls’ head basketball coach at Boone County even though she’ll be replacing one of the most successful coaches in the history of Northern Kentucky high school sports.
Wendeln, 29, will be taking charge of a Boone County girls’ varsity program that never had a losing season in the 30 years that Nell Fookes was head coach of the Rebels. Fookes retired at the end of last season with a career record of 686-253 that makes her the winningest coach in Northern Kentucky high school basketball. She took 16 teams to the 9th Region finals and won nine titles, which are also local records.
“I’m so excited to have the opportunity to be her successor,” Wendeln said. “I look at it as a huge opportunity to show people what I can do. I know I can do the job, it’s just a matter of getting a chance to show everybody else.”
Jessica Wendeln is the new head girls’ basketball coach at Boone County (Photo Provided)
Four years ago, Wendeln coached the eighth-grade girls’ basketball team at R.A Jones Middle School in Boone County. She was associated with Fookes through that job and included the legendary coach as one of the references on her resume when she applied at Boone County.
Fookes was not on the committee that selected her replacement, but Wendeln must have impressed the ones who did make the final decision.
Wendeln was a three-year starter for Scott during her high school career and played on three college teams. She ended her playing career at Northern Kentucky University as a member of the 2008 NCAA Division II national championship team.
Wendeln was the junior varsity coach at Simon Kenton High School in 2009-10 and the eighth-grade coach at R.A. Jones Middle School in 2010-11. She then returned to Simon Kenton and coached the junior varsity team the last four seasons. She had two undefeated jayvee teams at Simon Kenton and was an assistant coach on the varsity team.
The Pioneers made it to the 10th Region championship game the last three years and won the title in 2015 with her on the staff.
Wendeln said she was hoping to take charge of the Simon Kenton program after head coach Jeff Stowers retired, but she changed her mind when the Boone County job became available.
“I’ve been really honest with Jeff the entire time,” she said of applying for the Boone County job. “I’ve learned so much from him so I wanted to be upfront about everything and he was cool about it. He thought I was ready (to be a head coach) and thought I deserved it.”
Boone County posted a 17-14 record and lost in the first round of the 9th Region tournament in Fookes’ final season as head coach. There were five seniors on the roster and four of them played in every game, including leading scorers Alexis Switzer and Macey Ford.
Wendeln said she’ll meet with the returning Boone County players on Thursday to make plans for summer team camps and open gym. She has already contacted Fookes to find out how much the former coach had planned before her retirement.
“This is something that’s always been a goal of mine after I stopped playing,” Wendeln said of becoming the Rebels’ head coach. “It’s been an emotional couple of days having to leave somewhere you really love. But I’m going somewhere I know I’ll fit in so I’m totally excited about it.”
