St. Rita of Cascia High School Announces New Head Basketball Coach

CHICAGO —Deacon John Donahue, J.D., Ed.D., President of St. Rita High School, announced Jim Sexton as Head Coach of the St. Rita Basketball Program. 

“We are thrilled to welcome Coach Sexton to St. Rita,” Deacon John shared. “His experience and dedication to the basketball community is exactly what the St. Rita basketball program needs — we know he will make an impact here.”

Before starting at St. Rita, Jim was the Head Basketball Coach at Evergreen Park Community High School (EPCHS) and St. Laurence High School. At EPCHS, he brought the team an overall record of 75 -63, including winning the 3A IHSA Regional Championship in 2023. It was the school’s first Regional Title since 1974.  

At St. Laurence, Coach Sexton won two 3A Regional championships in 2018 and 2019, as well as having back-to-back 20-win seasons for the first time since 1979, leaving them with a record of 62-34. In 2019, Jim was elected IBCA Coach of the Year, as well as The Daily South Town Coach of the Year. 

He continues to help develop youth players in Sexton Basketball, focusing on skill development, camps, and private shooting instruction for grade school players 1st-8th grade.

“Our goal is to help young men on and off the court in the St. Rita way, striving for excellence in the classroom and in the Chicago Catholic League,” Sexton shared. “St. Rita has a great basketball tradition, and I look forward to taking the program to the next level where win 20 games per year, compete for CCL titles, and win regional championships and advance deep into the IHSA playoffs.” 

As a player, Coach Sexton is a member of the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) Athletics Hall of Fame and Chicago Catholic League Hall of Fame.

In his professional career, Sexton has over 25 years in the sales industry, mostly in healthcare and payroll/human resources. Off the court and work, he enjoys spending time with family, golfing, and attending sporting events. 

Sexton grew up in the Most Holy Redeemer Parish in Evergreen Park. He is a 1994 graduate of Brother Rice High School and received a Bachelor of Political Science from the UIC in 1998. Jim has been married to his wife Laura for 12 years and has two children, Nolan and Olivia, where they currently reside in Evergreen Park.