By David Sharp
Highland High School has announced the hiring of Matt Thomas as their new head boys basketball coach for the 2025-26 school year. Thomas replaces Whitney Edmondson who resigned after the 2024-25 season after two years as Cougar boys head coach.
Matt Thomas has been in education for 27 years. “Matt has been in a lot of different places,” Highland Athletic Director Ben Buening said. “He has coached a lot of basketball. I have known Matt (Thomas) a long time from his days as the Athletic Director of Community R-6.”
Matt Thomas has family locally. His parents reside in Clark County. Coach Buening told the Edina Sentinel that current Lady Cougar head coach Ashton Jaco is a friend of Matt Thomas.
“When the opening came about, Coach Jaco told (Matt Thomas). He reached out to me,” Ben Buening said. “I told him that the program has some good young talent that needed to be developed.”
“He did a bang up job in the interview. We are glad to have him, not just for basketball but for our men’s athletic program in general. There needs to be some attitude changes. I think Matt is a guy that can come in and help facilitate that.”
Matt Thomas’ most recent coaching experience was an assistant men’s basketball coach at Warrensburg. “He comes highly recommended from head coach Chris Nimmo, their AD and Principal.
Matt Thomas has coached at Central Lee County HS in Iowa, Palmyra HS, North Callaway and Community R-6 High School.
