Two years ago, South Knox (IN) won its only state championship in school history when the girls basketball team won the Class 2A championship. To kick off the 2026-27 season, however, the Spartans will be without their head coach.
Brian Haenchen of the IndyStar and Kyle Sokeland of the Courier and Press reported on Wednesday, Nov. 11, that Hollie Anson-Eaves received the two-game suspension for violating the Indiana High School Athletic Association's “undue influence” policy.
In addition to the suspension, the program has also been placed on probation for the year.
The IndyStar and Courier Press received an email from South Knox Superintendent Jeff Cochren confirming the news and stating the violation occurred in May. Two months later, the IHSAA
informed South Knox of the "potential for a violation" and was informed that they needed to respond.
The administration responded with a written letter in August and on Nov. 5 received the punishment.
Per the IHSAA bylaws, Rule 20-1 prohibits coaches and schools to recruit or attempt to recruit student-athletes under the use of “undue influence” — that being the encouragement or inducing that player to attend a school solely for athletic-related reasons.
Anson-Eaves served the first of her two-game suspension on Tuesday, Nov. 10. The Spartans played Washington and picked up their first win of the season by a score of 62-47. South Knox is set to tipoff tournament play at Corydon Central on Friday night against Evansville Central as part of the Cluckers Battle at the First Capital.
On top of the suspension and probation, teams scheduled to play South Knox this season are allowed to drop the Spartans from their schedule without a penalty for violating Rule 20.
Two schools have already done so, including Eastern Greene (IN) and Vincennes Lincoln (IN). South Knox was scheduled to play Easter Greene on Nov. 7 in its season-opener, and the Lincoln game was scheduled for Jan. 16. A game against Evansville Reitz was added to the schedule, and the school is looking to add one more to its schedule, according to the report.
The game against Vincennes Lincoln in particular being cancelled stands out as South Knox's only transfer, sophomore Azaria Easley, transferred from Lincoln over the summer.
Her father, Jesse Easley, however, took to Facebook, stating the decision was not basketball-related and instead was related to the Vincennes Lincoln girls soccer team.
As for the basketball team, Anson-Eaves is expected to be back on the sideline Saturday. She is in her 13th season with the program, compiling a record of 196-114 during that span and the Class 2A championship win two seasons ago.
Follow Sports Reporter Joe Spears on X at @joe_spears7 or via email: JSpears@usatodayco.com. For additional high school sports coverage, be sure to follow USA TODAY High School Sports on Instagram and X.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Indiana girls basketball state championship-winning coach given two-game suspension
