On Thursday, the school announced that longtime coach and recent District 11 Hall of Fame inductee Paul Brutto has been appointed head coach of the Colts, following the sudden passing of former head coach Scott Murphy on August 14.
Brutto is no stranger to Marian basketball. For the past three seasons, he served as assistant coach under Murphy, helping guide the Colts to a memorable 2024–25 campaign that ended with a District 11 Class AA championship and a trip to the PIAA state playoffs. Brutto retired as the Marian Girls Basketball Coach in 2021.
“We are thrilled Coach Brutto has accepted the position, and we are happy to have him as head coach of our boys’ program,” said Marian Athletic Director Billy O’Gurek. “We have no doubt he will continue to bring success to the program, just as he did over more than 30 years as coach of our Fillies.”
Brutto acknowledged the bittersweet nature of his appointment.
Brutto is no stranger to Marian basketball. For the past three seasons, he served as assistant coach under Murphy, helping guide the Colts to a memorable 2024–25 campaign that ended with a District 11 Class AA championship and a trip to the PIAA state playoffs. Brutto retired as the Marian Girls Basketball Coach in 2021.
“We are thrilled Coach Brutto has accepted the position, and we are happy to have him as head coach of our boys’ program,” said Marian Athletic Director Billy O’Gurek. “We have no doubt he will continue to bring success to the program, just as he did over more than 30 years as coach of our Fillies.”
Brutto acknowledged the bittersweet nature of his appointment.
“I’m happy for this opportunity, and while it comes sadly under the circumstances of the loss of Scott, I’m looking forward to continuing what he started three years ago, which culminated this past year with a District 11 championship,” he said.
Brutto’s resume places him among the winningest coaches in District 11 and Pennsylvania history. Over a 40-year career in girls’ basketball — including 30 years at Marian Catholic and 10 at Shenandoah Valley — he compiled a career record of 750–349, a 70.8% winning percentage.
At Marian alone, he earned 606 victories, building a program that became a perennial state contender. His Fillies teams produced 27 winning seasons in 30 years, highlighted by the 2007–08 squad’s 32-1 run to a PIAA Class A State Championship.
Other career highlights include:
- 15 Schuylkill League division titles
- 3 District 11 championships and 11 runner-up finishes
- 22 state playoff appearances, including 9 Eastern Finals and 3 Eastern Championships
- A career postseason record of 45–21 (68.1%)
- 17 seasons with 20+ wins, three seasons with 30+ wins
- An extraordinary stretch from 2001–2008, when his teams went 195–32, averaging nearly 28 wins per season
- His success earned him induction into the District 11 Hall of Fame in October 2024.
Family and Legacy
Brutto is married to Vicki (Martin) Brutto, a 1976 Marian graduate. Their two children, P.J. (Class of 2003) and Pam (Class of 2007), are also alumni of the school.