LAS CRUCES – Centennial is searching for a new volleyball head coach after five-time state championship coach Al Rosen has retired.
Rosen compiled a 370-96 head coaching record with three state championships, three state runner-up finishes and nine district championships with the Hawks and two state titles at Gadsden.
Rosen began as a head coach at El Paso Horizon after stopping as an assistant at Chapin and Irvin.
Rosen is one of five New Mexico volleyball coaches (with at least five titles) to win state championships at multiple schools and Gadsden’s back-to-back state championships in 2010 and 2011 are still the only female team championships at the school.
“Gadsden had never won a girls team championship so it was really big for the community,” Rosen said. “We went around to the younger kids and the volleyball kids talked to them and they even had a parade in Anthony. It was kind of a big deal to a small community and just having my daughter (Veronica) on the team as a captain. “
Rosen was the first coach at Centennial when the school opened in 2012. The Hawks won the Class 5A state championship in 2014 and the big school title in 2016 and 2020. Centennial finished second in Class 5A in 2015 and came in second among the big schools in 2017 and 2019.
“I was the first coach there so that was kind of special,” Rosen said. “The last one we won was the COVID year and I was worried we weren’t going to play. We had a lot of seniors so that worked out good for us.”
Rosen retired from teaching last year and he said if he does continue to coach, it will be at the club level.
“I would really like to see them get a really good quality coach and continue the tradition that we have had,” Rosen said. “We have always been competitive in the state, and I think they can keep that going hopefully.”
Jason Groves can be reached at 575-541-5459 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @jpgroves.
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