ERLANGER, Ky. — St. Henry District High School named Cooper coach Tim Sullivan as its boys basketball coach Wednesday morning, a day after Sullivan said his Cooper coaching contract was not renewed.
Sullivan succeeds former longtime St. Henry coach Dave Faust, who retired in Aprilas the Ninth Region’s all-time wins leader after 33 seasons.
"I am blessed to be given the opportunity to take over a program that my great friend and mentor, Dave Faust, has built over the last three years," Sullivan said in a statement. "My staff and I are grateful for the trust shown by the administration to lead the program into the future. We are looking forward to continuing the tradition of excellence and building young men of character, integrity, tenacity, and toughness. My family and I are extremely excited to become part of THE CRU."
Sullivan’s hiring arrives less than two months after he led Cooper to the Kentucky High School Athletic Association state quarterfinals at Rupp Arena in Lexington.
Sullivan said late Tuesday afternoon in a text message that his coaching contract was not being renewed for the 2025-26 season. He said he was awaiting word of a decision related to Monday's appeal hearing.
"This is a personnel matter and therefore not something that we can or would speak about," said Barbara Brady, Boone County Schools Community Relations Coordinator in an email.
A phone call and text message to Cooper athletic director Randy Borchers were not immediately returned Wednesday.
"We are thrilled to welcome Mr. Tim Sullivan as our new Head Boys Varsity Basketball Coach," St. Henry athletic director Jim Demler said in a news release. "He has a fantastic reputation here in Northern Kentucky and throughout the state. We are honored to add a coach of his stature. Coach Sullivan is a proven winner and always gets the very best from his players."
Sullivan, who had been Cooper’s coach since the program started in 2008, was told Jan. 21 he had the option to resign or not have his contract renewed at the end of this past season. Sullivan earned his 300th career win in February and earned a great deal of support from around the Cooper High School community this past season.
Sullivan has a career record of 305-211 in 18 varsity seasons. He was the Ninth Region Coach of the Year in 2017, 2018, and 2025 among several other accolades.
In 17 years at Cooper, Sullivan's teams won nine 33rd District championships and earned the Ninth Region Title in 2017 and 2025. His 2017 team was the state runner-up.
“It’s a person that I needed to be around and needed to be coached by,” said University of North Carolina freshman linebacker Austin Alexander, a former Cooper basketball and football player.
WCPO 9 News reported in mid-March that parents, former athletes and current players attended a Boone County School Board meeting to express their support for Sullivan. An online petition to keep Sullivan at Cooper had 3,117 signatures as of Tuesday afternoon.
Cooper (24-6 record in 2024-25), winners of the Ninth Region, made their first UK HealthCare Boys’ Sweet appearance since 2017 when the Jaguars were the state runner-up.
Cooper, which defeated Henderson County 50-35 in a Sweet 16 first-round game, was ranked No. 5 in the season’s MaxPreps Kentucky boys basketball rankings.
Sullivan’s status at Cooper drew a significant spotlight in Northern Kentucky and around the high school basketball community statewide this past postseason.
“It is pretty special to see not only our guys come together but our school and our community,” Sullivan said in late March. “And the way they’ve really rallied behind this group. I’ve had so many people from across the state — friends of mine and acquaintances of mine — that have reached out and just said, ‘We’re really pulling for you guys. And we’ve seen you guys play and this is a really fun group to get behind.’ It makes you feel really good about the character of your kids, the culture of your program and you just want to go out and represent your school and represent your family.”
