NILES, Illinois — Northridge varsity basketball head coach Will Rey achieved a significant milestone Friday evening as his team defeated conference rival North Shore Country Day 64-44 to secure his 400th career victory at the school.
During his 20-year tenure at Northridge, Rey has amassed a remarkable 400-180 record, translating to a .690 winning percentage. His dominance extends even further to conference play, where his teams boast an incredible 183-46 record since his arrival in 2004 — a winning percentage of over 80%.
Overall, Rey's career high school coaching record stands at an impressive 465-245 (.655), which includes previous head coaching stops at Fenwick and Crete-Monee. His consistent success and dedication to the sport have made him a respected figure in the Illinois basketball community and one of the most successful coaches in state history.
Northridge teams have captured six conference championships and eight IHSA 2A regional championships in Coach Rey's tenure, including a pair of "Sweet 16" finishes during the 2008-09 and 2014-15 seasons. A member of the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame, Rey received IBCA District Coach of the Year awards in 2009, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2020, 2022, and 2023, and has been named conference Coach of the Year six times.
In 2021, the Chicago Sun-Times named Northridge as one of the Top-50 winningest high school basketball programs in the Chicago area during the previous decade. Northridge was ranked the area's 31st winningest program with a 206-86 (.705) record — topping programs such as Loyola Academy, DePaul Prep, St. Rita, Brother Rice and St. Patrick.
Rey had this to say following the win as he reflected on the accomplishment:
"I'm very thankful for all the good wishes that have come with this milestone. It means a lot that so many people have been so incredibly thoughtful.
I've always said that coaching is a strange profession because we coaches get the credit for what our players accomplish. That's exactly what's happened here. I'm honored to be Northridge's basketball coach because I've had the opportunity of a lifetime to work with 91 amazing seniors that have gone through our program during my tenure. And we have 7 more super seniors to add to that number this year.
As much as anything, this is a program milestone and Northridge Basketball has always been for and about the players — whether they're current or former seniors.
I love our players and I hope they feel good about what they've accomplished and not just in terms of 400 wins in 20 years but moreover how they've carried themselves and represented Northridge with honor and integrity on the basketball court and beyond.
I'm also thankful for the many outstanding assistant coaches, athletic trainers, team managers, and Super-Fans, who along with the players' parents, school administrators and faculty are a big part of our program's success story.
But, again it all begins and ends with our players. I profoundly thank them for bringing me along on their magnificent journey. It's been amazing - a real thrill. And to think - we haven't yet arrived - our best is yet to come.
Go Knights."
As for the record-setting game, senior Jacob Klatt led the way for the Knights with 22 points. Fellow senior Evan Kataoka tallied 19 points of his own in the win.
