Archbishop Moeller High School has appointed Bert Bathiany as their new varsity head football coach.
Bert Bathiany joins Moeller from Lexington Catholic High School, where he recently coached the varsity football team to their first 10-win season since 2015. Before his tenure at Lexington Catholic, he served as the defensive coordinator at Tiffin University. With almost 15 years of experience coaching football at different levels, Bathiany brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his new role at Moeller.
Bert Bathiany was an exceptional football player at Highlands, where he graduated in 2005. He was a team captain during his time on the football team, which clinched the Kentucky state championship in 2004 after defeating Boyle County.
“I am honored to have the opportunity to lead the Archbishop Moeller High School varsity football program,” Bathiany said in a release. “I am committed to continuing an emphasis on character, discipline, and excellence, and I look forward to becoming a part of the Moeller family.”
Marshall Hyzdu, Moeller’s President and a 1996 alumnus, expressed his excitement over the addition of Coach Bathiany to their team as the new football coach. Hyzdu stated that Bathiany’s experience and leadership will play a crucial role in their pursuit of a championship program at Moeller. Bathiany will commence his new role with immediate effect.
Moeller’s head coach since 2020, Mark Elder, has stepped down after leading the Crusaders for three seasons. Bert Bathiany will be taking over his position.
During his tenure at Moeller, Elder led the team to great success, with a record of 27-12. As a 2006 Sycamore graduate, he led Moeller to consecutive Division I regional championships and spots in the state Final Four. The team had a commendable overall record of 9-3 in playoffs under Elder, and they clinched a Greater Catholic League-South title in the last season.
In 2019, Bathiany played an instrumental role in Tiffin University’s remarkable season, which is widely considered to be the best in the program’s history. The team finished the regular season with an impressive 9-1 record, including a perfect 7-0 mark in GMAC play, which earned them the conference title. This victory marked only the third conference championship in Tiffin’s history, and it was their first as a member of Division II. Consequently, the Dragons qualified for their first-ever NCAA DII playoffs and almost pulled off an upset against the 2-seed in the region, Kutztown, on the road in the first round.
Between 2013 and 2018, Bert Bathiany worked at his alma mater, Denison University, where he served as the director of strength and conditioning as well as the linebackers coach. After two years, he was promoted to the role of Defensive Coordinator, which he held from 2015 to 2018. During his time in this position, Denison enjoyed a surge in prominence in the North Coast Athletic Conference, winning an impressive 30 games with a winning percentage of .731. In 2018, the team secured their first conference championship since 1986 and advanced to the NCAA Division III Playoffs.
Bert Bathiany graduated with honors, cum laude, from Denison University in 2009, where he earned a bachelor of arts degree in physical education with a concentration in sports management. He then pursued further studies and obtained a master’s degree in recreation and sports administration from Western Kentucky in 2012.
While at Denison University, Bert Bathiany played for the Big Red football team as a linebacker and safety, where he started for three years. In 2008, he received recognition as a second-team All-North Coast Athletic Conference selection and was also named the team’s defensive Most Valuable Player (MVP) for the season.
Bert Bathiany and his wife, Haley, both hail from Fort Thomas and are parents to four children. They are currently residing in Lexington but will be moving to the Cincinnati area in the upcoming weeks.