Mater Dei announced Monday that it has hired Jody Wynn, a former collegiate coach with strong ties to the program and Orange County, as its new girls basketball coach.
The former Long Beach State and Washington women’s basketball coach replaces Kevin Kiernan, who resigned after last season.
Wynn, a former standout player at Brea Olinda High, joined Kiernan’s staff this past season and helped coach a squad that includes her youngest daughter Kaeli Wynn, a sophomore who was a first-team All-County selection in 2023-24.
“It’s an absolute honor to lead the Mater Dei girls basketball program,” Wynn said in a statement. “My adult life has been devoted to empowering young women, and I’m thrilled to continue that mission as a Monarch. Building upon Coach Kevin Kiernan’s legacy of perseverance, sportsmanship, and integrity is both a privilege and a responsibility. Kevin’s influence transcends the game itself, and I’m grateful for his guidance and friendship. Mater Dei’s trust in me to lead is deeply appreciated.”
In March 2021, Wynn was fired after four seasons as the head coach at Washington. The Huskies finished 38-75 overall under Wynn.
Prior to Washington, Wynn led the Long Beach State women’s team for eight seasons. In her final season in 2016-17, she guided the 49ers to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1991-92.
“Her remarkable achievements as a player and her extensive knowledge of the game make her uniquely qualified to lead our girls basketball program,” Mater Dei executive director of athletics Joel Hartmann said in a statement. “We are confident that Coach Wynn will continue to elevate our program and inspire our student-athletes to achieve greatness, both on the court and in their academic pursuits.”
Wynn’s husband, Derek, is an assistant coach with the UC Irvine women, and her oldest daughter, Jada, plays at Texas Tech.
The family moved to Orange County after Wynn’s departure at Washington.
Jada Wynn played at Troy and Kaeli developed into a standout forward this past season at Mater Dei.
At Brea Olinda, Wynn played under her maiden name Anton and under legendary coach Mark Trakh.
The 1992 graduate became the county’s first repeat player of the year and had her No. 44 jersey retired after helping the Ladycats win three state titles.
“I will miss her more than any other player,” Trakh once said of Wynn, who played collegiately at USC.
After Kiernan announced in late February that he would be stepping down, Wynn became the front-runner to replace Kiernan, the state’s all-time leader in coaching victories with 900.
Mater Dei finished 25-8 last season and reached the Open Division semifinals in the section and regional playoffs despite playing most of the winter without injured guard Addison Deal. The junior, who was the Orang County player of the year in 2023, recently committed to Iowa.
Kiernan earned county coach of the year honors in his 17th and final season at Mater Dei. The Monarchs weathered injuries and he coached through a throat issue that will require surgery.
He remains an athletic director at Mater Dei, and his daughter Devyn is a key player on the basketball team.
During this past season, the defensive-minded Kiernan praised Wynn for helping the team implement a new offensive scheme.
“Jody has already played a huge role for us this fall,” Kiernan said in early November. “Coach had been installing and running the offense and we are very fortunate to have her on staff this year.”
Wynn was part of a staff that included former Marina coach Pete Bonny and longtime Monarchs assistant Jesse Vargas.
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