Four Powell High School coaches were recognized for their excellence at the annual Wyoming Coaches Association Hall of Fame Awards Banquet on Friday in Casper. 

Longtime PHS girls’ basketball coach and current activities director Scott McKenzie and former wrestling coach Nate Urbach were both enshrined to the association’s Hall of Fame. Meanwhile, Powell track and field coaches Scott Smith (head coach) and Nevin Jacobs (throwing coach) were awarded girls’ track and field head coach of the year and assistant coach of the year, respectively.

McKenzie coached multiple sports in Powell over the course of three decades, including football, volleyball, golf and, primarily, basketball. He spent the last seven years of his coaching career as the head girls’ basketball coach, compiling a 124-59 record and winning the 3A state championship in 2015.

McKenzie stepped down from the position in 2019 to become the school’s activities director. He was a member of the 2020 class but didn’t have the chance to receive the honor in person, due to COVID-19. 

“It’s the highest honor that you can get,” McKenzie said. “There’s some big-time Powell names up there, so it’s just an honor to have my name beside them. It’s very humbling.”

Urbach spent 16 years as the head wrestling coach at PHS, winning nine team state championships. He retired from the high school ranks in 2020.

“It’s always your goal, to be one of the best guys,” he said. “It’s certainly an honor, for sure.”

As for Smith, a longtime PHS coach, he was at the helm for Powell’s girls’ track and field state championship in May. The Panthers racked up 105 team points at state, with several individual all-state performances. 

“It is an honor to be able to represent our entire coaching staff and team’s efforts this year!” Smith said. 

Jacobs has been the throwing coach at PHS for decades. This year, three of his throwers — Reagan Thompson, Cassidy Miner and Toran Graham — were top-five finishers at the Class 3A meet. 

“Coach Jacobs is one of the best throwing coaches in the state,” McKenzie said. “His loyalty and dedication to his athletes is second-to-none. I am ecstatic for Coach Jacobs to be recognized for his efforts over the many years that he has coached at Powell.”