Humnicky, Kenworthy, Ammerman to be honored by coaches’ group for contributions to basketball
(3-12-26) Three individuals with significant ties to Indiana high school basketball will be recognized with Virgil Sweet Awards from the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association in 2026, it was announced Thursday (March 12). Former athletic administrator Greg Humnicky of South Bend, basketball historian Jerry “Rocky” Kenworthy of Clayton and Joe Ammerman of WJCP Radio in North Vernon are the recipients of this year’s awards. One person is honored from each IHSAA district — Humnicky in District 1, Kenworthy in District 2 and Ammerman in District 3.
Virgil Sweet Awards are presented to those who have provided meritorious service in the promotion of basketball across Indiana. The award is named in honor of Sweet, a former Valparaiso High School basketball coach and executive director of the IBCA from 1974 through 1984. Sweet passed away on June 7, 2023.
This is the 51st year that the IBCA has presented an award or awards for service to basketball beyond coaching. A single winner was named from 1974 through 1979. Multiple winners have been named from 1980 to the present, although no winners were named in 1991 (no clinic was held that year) or 2021 (when the 2020 winners were honored because of the COVID-19 pandemic).
A list of winners from over the years — plus a bio of Virgil Sweet — are beneath the biographies of the 2026 winners.
This year’s awards will be presented as part of the 2026 IBCA Clinic on April 23-24 at Mt. Vernon High School in Fortville, Ind. For more information about the IBCA, go to in.nhsbca.org.
Here is more information about each Sweet Award honoree for 2026.
Greg Humnicky
Greg Humnicky is best known for a long career as a top-notch athletic administrator after working as the athletic director at South Bend Clay High School from 1988 to 2008 and as secretary/treasurer and historian for the Northern Indiana Conference from 1994 to the present.
He also served on the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame board of directors from 2010-18 and currently serves on multiple Hall of Fame committee, including several years as chairman of the men’s Silver Anniversary Team committee.
A 1964 graduate of South Bend Central, Humnicky earned a bachelor’s degree from Purdue in 1968 and a master’s degree from Indiana University in 1973. After college, Humnicky was a teacher and boys’ basketball assistant coach at South Bend Central Middle School (1970-75), South Bend Adams High School (1975-82) and South Bend Clay High School (1982-88) while also helping run summer Purdue Basketball Camps from 1973-88.
Over the years, Humnicky has been a member of the IBCA, the Indiana Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association and the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association.
Humnicky was nominated for an IIAAA Distinguished Service Award in 2007, received the Sam Wegner Award from South Bend Schools in 2013 and was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame as the Silver Medal winner in 2025. He is a life member of the South Bend Alumni Association, the Purdue Alumni Association and the John Purdue Club.
Humnicky and his late wife, Barbara, are parents to two adult children – Phil, a photographer in Washington, D.C., and Anna, attorney in Atlanta. Humnicky and companion Judy Gray have been together since 2021.
Jerry “Rocky” Kenworthy
Jerry “Rocky” Kenworthy of Clayton, Ind., is a former basketball official who also has contributed to Indiana high school basketball by assisting with historical research and co-publishing the Indiana Basketball Handbook for more than a decade.
Kenworthy inherited his love of Indiana high school basketball from his father, Mac, attending games for more than 60 years in 300-plus gyms across the state. He officiated high school games in the 1980s and early 1990s, then became part of the Indiana High School Basketball Historical Society in the 1990s when the group was researching the career won-loss records of Howard Sharpe and a some other coaches.
In 2000, Kenworthy and John Marlowe, son of former IU broadcaster Chuck Marlow, combined to take over the publishing of the pocket-sized Indiana Basketball Handbook. Often called the “Little Orange Book” as it contained boys’ basketball schedules for a given season and other basketball facts, the Handbook was published from 1967 through 1999 by David Pert. After Pert passed away in October 1999, Pert’s widow, Madelyn, asked Kenworthy and Marlowe to keep the Handbook alive, a task they accomplished through the 2015-16 season.
Over the years, Kenworthy also has helped research 1,000-point scorers and various coaching records. Most recently, in an effort to assist the IBCA, he has done significant research on a number of past coaches, their coaching stops and records.
A 1974 graduate of Cascade High School, Kenworthy attended Oakland City College for one year. He then transferred to Butler University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration in 1978. He now is in his 48th year of operating a family-owned grain and cattle farm. He also has played in adult softball leagues and was part of an ASA State Champion team in 1992.
Kenworthy and his wife, Dorene, have been married for 33 years and live on the farm just outside the town of Hazelwood in western Hendricks County.
Joe Ammerman
Joe Ammerman is in his 44th year of broadcasting Jennings County High School sports, currently at WJCP Radio in North Vernon. He started his radio career as a color commentator on boys’ basketball games in 1982-83 and took over as play-by-play voice for football, boys’ basketball and baseball the following season.
Ammerman added girls’ basketball in 1986-87 and softball in the 1990s to the programming calendar, and he long has hosted Panther Spotlight, a live coaches’ interview program from a North Vernon restaurant.
A 1978 Jennings County graduate, Ammerman grew up in the northern part of the county and started part-time work at WOCH Radio in North Vernon in 1979. He became full time at the station in 1982 and began his tenure of calling sports that continues to this day. He also has served as a Morning Show host and sales representative during his time in radio.
Ammerman has served on multiple local boards over the years, including the Jennings County Extension Board, the Jennings County Community Foundation, the Jennings County Chamber of Commerce and the Muscatatuck Board of Realtors. He also enjoys being involved in local community theatre with the Jennings County Players as time permits.
He previously has been recognized with an IHSAA Media Award in 2000 as well as Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association Media Awards in 2002 and 2006. He also was inducted into JCHS Alumni Hall of Fame in 2015.
Ammerman and his wife, Kimberly, have three adult daughters – Natalie, Kelbi and Daphne – and four grandchildren.
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Virgil Sweet Award winners
Virgil Sweet Award winners, as presented by the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association from 1974-present. One winner per year, 1974-1979. Generally, five winners per year from 1980-2003 when the IHSAA was in a five-district format. Three to eight winners per year from 2004-present when IHSAA has been in a three-district format. The award initially was called the IBCA Medal Award. The name was changed to the IBCA Service Award in 1978. The name was changed to the IBCA Virgil Sweet Award in 1986.
1974: Tom Carnegie.
1975: Bob Williams.
1976: Nate Kaufman.
1977: Hilliard Gates.
1978: Marion Crawley.
1979: Marv Bates (posthumously).
1980: Doug Adams (District 1); Len Davis (District 2); Jerry Baker (District 3); John Jordan (District 4); Bob Simmers (District 5).
1981: Terry Lee (District 1); Jack Yaggy (District 2); Otis Bowen (District 3); Bob Barnet (District 4); Joe Edwards (District 5).
1982: Bob King (District 1); Forrest Miller (District 2); Dave Pert (District 3); Herbie Houk (District 4); Richard Lankford (District 5).
1983: Dave Krider (District 1); Earl Mishler (District 2); Patricia Roy (District 3); Sam Simmermaker (District 4); Norman Hall (District 5).
1984: Pinky Newell (District 1); Herb Swartz (District 2); Don Jellison (District 3); Morry Mannies (District 4); Whitey Jones (District 5).
1985: Virgil Sweet (District 1); Joe Smekens (District 2); Charlie Maas (District 3); Sam Roberts (District 4); Bob Hammel (District 5).
1986: Harry Bradway (District 1); Hilliard Gates (District 2); Jimmie Angelopolous and Ron Harris (District 3); Don McBride (District 4); John Potts (District 5).
1987: Bill Overholser (District 1); Bill Fowler (District 2); Howard Catt (District 3); Orvis “Shorty” Burdsall (District 4); Lloyd E. “Barney” Scott (District 5).
1988: Paul Rommelmann (District 1); Gene Conard (District 2); Jerry Baker (District 3); Eric Wohlford (District 4); Bob Simmers (District 5).
1989: Doug Adams (District 1); Bob Straight (District 2); Don Bates (District 3); Phil Stigelman (District 4); Guy Glover (District 5).
1990: Skip Collins (District 1); Bud Gallmeier (District 2); Betty Sizelove (District 3); Gus Moorhead (District 4); Bob Lochmueller (District 5).
1991: no awards presented (no clinic program held this year).
1992: Joe Heath (District 1); Ken Klimek (District 2); Garry Donna (District 3); Phil Buck (District 4); Bud Ritter (District 5).
1993: John Mutka (District 1); Leroy Lambright (District 2); Ray Craft (District 3); Ron Lemasters (District 4); Charlie Jenkins (District 5).
1994: Mildred Ball (District 1); Bob Primmer (District 2); Tom Carnegie (District 3); Ted Server (District 4); George Marshall (District 5).
1995: Earl Mishler (District 1); By Hey (District 2); Kurt Freudenthal (District 3); Harold Schutz (District 4); Temme Patterson (District 5).
1996: Paul Condry (District 1); Greg Johans (District 2); Wayne Fuson (District 3); Jan Clark (District 4); Mike Blake (District 5).
1997: Paul Jankowski (District 1); David Fulkerson (District 2); Gene Conard (District 3); John Robbins (District 4); Dan Korb (District 5).
1998: Wally McCormack (District 1); Dick Stimpson (District 2); Bill Pfister (District 3); Ron Raver (District 4); Mike Barrett (District 5).
1999: Forrest Rhode (District 1); Dennis Kraft (District 2); Jim Rosenstihl (District 3); Phil Snodgress (District 4); Robert “Bud” Shippee (District 5).
2000: Jeff Washburn (District 1); Rita Price Simpson (District 2); Howard Sharpe (District 3); Scott Davidson and Jeff Ayler (District 4); Larry Schweizer (District 5).
2001: Curt Casbon (District 1); Fred Inniger (District 2); Gene Cato (District 3); Bob Lovell (District 4); Brian Bohne (District 5).
2002: Marvin Tudor (District 1); Jack Woodruff (District 2); Jim Russell (District 3); John Hodge (District 4); Tom Collins (District 5).
2003: Paul Curtis (District 1); Dean Pantazi (District 2); Vince Welch (District 3); George Griffith (District 4); Jack Butcher (District 5).
2004: Ron Heflin and Dan Swift (District 1); Patrick Aikman and Pat McKee (District 2); Richard Lankford, Donna Sullivan and Graham Taylor (District 3).
2005: Keith Nuest and Elmer Strautman (District 1); Bill Benner and Gene Keady (District 2); Walt Ferber (District 3).
2006: Homer Drew and Mike Hey (District 1); Gene Milner and Herb Schwomeyer (District 2); Dan Egierski and Orlando “Gunner” Wyman (District 3).
2007: Anthony Anderson, Tom Rehm and Dan Willett (District 1); Dave Calabro and Judi Warren (District 2); Cliff Guilliams and Kurt Gutgsell (District 3).
2008: Chip Jones and Fred Mitchell (District 1); Roger Dickinson and Bob Kirkhoff (District 2); Chris James and Jason Recker (District 3).
2009: Bob Adams (District 1); Greg Bell and Leigh Evans (District 2); Bob Boyles, John Harrell and Jeff Sagarin (District 3).
2010: Stu Swartz, Jackie and Cory Webster (District 1); Larry Barrett and Ed Siegel (District 2); Hugh Schaefer (District 3).
2011: Mark Smith (District 1); Mike Beas (District 2); Charles Denbo (District 3).
2012: Al Hamnik and Greg Jones (District 1); Dr. John McCarroll, Robin Miller and Dick Rea (District 2); Curt Cavin, Arv Koontz and Pete Swanson (District 3).
2013: Joe Arredondo and Wayne Svetanoff (District 1); Rich Nye (District 2); Keith Doades and John Heaton (District 3).
2014: Chuck Freeby, Steve Hanlon and Bob Nagle (District 1); Danny Danielson and Charlie Hughes (District 2); Andy Graham and Johnny McCrory (District 3).
2015: Tommy Schoegler and Bob Stambazze (District 1); Mark Morrow and Kyle Neddenriep (District 2); Bryce Kendrick (District 3).
2016: John Dillman and Jerry Hoover (District 1); Dan Repass and Bill Uhrig (District 2); Kevin Smith (District 3).
2017: Phil Gardner and Mike Lightfoot (District 1); John Grimes and Paul Patterson (District 2); Bob Bridge (District 3).
2018: Wayne Kreiger (District 1); Terry Downham (District 2); Walt Raines (District 3).
2019: Bill Walker (District 1); Charlie Hall (District 2); Larry Goffinet (District 3).
2020: Jim Peters (District 1); Mike Carmin (District 2); Gordon Engelhardt (District 3).
2021: no winners named (winners from 2020 honored in 2021 because of COVID-19 pandemic).
2022: Dan Vance (District 1); Randy Shields (District 2); Andy Amey (District 3).
2023: Roger Grossman (District 1); Denise McClanahan (District 2); Mike Lopresti (District 3).
2024: Angelo Di Carlo (District 1); Craig Lyon (District 2); Rick Semmler (District 3).
2025: Harold Welter (District 1); Greg Rakestraw (District 2); Mark Brochin (District 3).
2026: Greg Humnicky (District 1); Jerry “Rocky” Kenworthy (District 2); Joe Ammerman (District 3).
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Virgil Sweet bio
Virgil Sweet was a part of the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association since the group’s inception in 1970 and an award is named after him. However, not everyone may recall what an outstanding coach Sweet was for 20 years at Valparaiso High School.
A 1945 graduate of Covington High School, Sweet played basketball on a team that reached the Indianapolis Semi-State and lost 39-38 to Rushville as a senior. He initially went to Butler and played one year of football for Tony Hinkle, then transferred to Eastern Illinois and played football and baseball for the Panthers. He graduated from EIU in 1950 and later earned a master’s degree from Indiana University.
Sweet began his basketball coaching career as an assistant coach to Don Reichert for one season at Covington. Sweet became varsity coach for three seasons at Westville (Ill.) before moving to Valparaiso as the varsity coach from 1954-74. His Vikings won 296 games over those 20 seasons, going 48-6 in sectional contests, claiming 14 sectional titles – including 11 in a row – and twice reached the final eight of the state tournament.
In 23 seasons as a varsity coach, including the three years at Westville, Sweet’s teams won 342 games.
Sweet’s teams at Valparaiso were noted for their excellent free-throw shooting, largely because of 20-step system that became known as the “Valparaiso Free-Throw Method.” His 1963-64 squad shot .792 for the season, then a national high school record. He coached two high school All-Americans, 54 players who played college basketball and 16 players who became coaches. Sweet was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in 1987.
After retiring as a coach, Sweet was chairman of the Valparaiso physical education department and served as the IBCA executive director from 1974 through 1984 after assisting Marion Crawley with the group for a year. He then retired from teaching and moved to Florida, where he had a successful second career in real estate.
Sweet’s wife of 47 years, Paralee, passed away in 1999. They had two daughters, Shari and Sandy, three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Sweet remained active until his passing, regularly playing tennis and attending the IBCA Clinic almost every year through 2019.
Sweet was 96 years old when he passed away on June 7, 2023.
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