Matt Bolger steps down at Regina

IOWA CITY — The Regina Regals just concluded their best girls' basketball season in school history. Next year could be even better.

And that made Matt Bolger's decision very, very difficult.

Bolger resigned Tuesday after two highly successful seasons.

'My wife (Holly) and I have been talking about this for months,' Bolger said. 'We've gone back and forth, back and forth. I could stay and try to win a state championship; that's any coach's dream. But it boils down to my family, and they come first.'

Holly Bolger is a native of Springfield, Mo., and has accepted a job there as a doctor of obstetrics. Matt and Holly have three young children.

Bolger leaves Regina with a 46-5 record and two state-tournament appearances. The Regals were 25-1 last season and reached the Class 2A state semifinals before falling to eventual champion Unity Christian.

Regina has won eight consecutive conference or divisional championships.

'Every year, this group has gone a step further,' Bolger said. 'The mentality is, they want the next step. They want the big trophy. These girls are going to be successful regardless of who is sitting in the first chair.'

The Regals return 71 percent of their scoring for 2016-17, led by 2A first-team selection Mary Crompton, and likely will be the preseason No. 1 in 2A in November.

A Marengo native, Bolger, 35, was the head coach for four years at Iowa Valley and spent three years coaching in St. Louis.

He also spent three seasons as an assistant at Mount Mercy University. His career record is 135-83.

'I'm thinking I might take a year's sabbatical from coaching and watch some practices and clinics, and learn,' he said. 'I don't want to jump into anything (in Springfield) too fast.'

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