Joe Duffield
Lake Highlands High School has announced the hiring of a new head basketball coach, and the name may be familiar. Joe Duffield was an assistant Wildcat basketball and football coach from 2007-2010.
Since that time, the graduate of Plano East Senior High School and Santa Clara University coached at Vista Ridge High School in central Texas. Serving as assistant, then head coach, he helped the Rangers make the playoffs and elevated the program to one of the best in the Austin area. In the 2015-16 season, his team finished 31-5 and clinched the school’s first-ever district championship in boys’ basketball. They won two tournament titles, and Duffield was named 25-5A Coach of the Year.
In his announcement, LHHS Athletic Coordinator Lonnie Jordan, who worked closely with Duffield during Duffield’s (and Jordan’s) first tenures at LHHS, said Duffield was delighted to be back in LH.
“Joe Duffield had an opportunity to meet the boys today and watch them play some ball. He is a dynamic and energetic young coach who does a tremendous job building relationships with kids. Coach Duffield and his family are very excited to be coming home to LH. He considers this his dream job and has exciting plans to turn the Wildcat Basketball Program into a dominant force.”
Duffield succeeds Rob Wylie, retiring from RISD.
“We have been blessed to be under the leadership of Rob Wylie for so many years and wish him well in his retirement,” said Jordan.
During his tenure at LHHS, Duffield helped guide the Wildcats to district championships in both basketball and football. LHHS 2010 grad Ricky Zorn, a member of both teams, went on to play football at Harvard University. He had high praise for Duffield’s selection.
“While I will miss Coach Wylie and am thankful for all he has done for Lake Highlands, I am also very excited that we are bringing Coach Duffield back to LH as the head coach of Wildcats basketball. He brings a ton of energy and a deep understanding of the game and is a great role model, person and coach. I am happy for him, and Lake Highlands is blessed to have him back.”
Joe Duffield
