Brian Cosgriff, one of Minnesota’s best girls basketball coaches, to retire

Brian Cosgriff’s 24-year coaching career has come to an end.

The Minnetonka girls basketball coach told his players in a team meeting Wednesday morning that he is retiring. He coached the Skippers the last three seasons, including to a Class 4A state championship title in 2024.

“There comes a time when you know it’s a good time to be done,” Cosgriff said. “I’ve done everything I can do. It’s time for a younger person to take over.”

Cosgriff compiled a career record of 631-93 while winning eight state titles, seven of them with Hopkins.

Cosgriff was the architect behind building Hopkins into a perennial power. He guided the Royals to seven state championships in 21 seasons while winning 569 games before exiting the program after the COVID-shortened season in 2020. He left Hopkins riding a 62-game win streak, which eventually extended to 78 consecutive wins to tie a state record set by Fosston between Dec. 21, 1999, and March 7, 2002.

“It’s not about the wins and losses or championships,” Cosgriff said. “It’s about the journey along the way.”

Cosgriff served as an assistant coach at Providence Academy before reentering the head coaching ranks at Minnetonka.

“When we got to the state tournament with Providence, I saw a lot of familiar faces. It felt good to be back in Williams Arena,” Cosgriff said upon taking the Skippers position. “When the job opened up, a few people reached out to me and wondered if I’d be interested. I talked it over with my family. It felt good to be wanted again. I decided to throw my hat in the ring.”

Cosgriff, 64, said his coaching duties started to take a toll as he got older.

“I just got tired,” said Cosgriff, who is also a physical education teacher at DeLaSalle. “It’s very difficult having to go from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day, and it’s even longer on game night.”

His eight state championships share the state record with Myron Glass at Rochester Lourdes and Faith Johnson Patterson at Minneapolis North and DeLaSalle. Cosgriff owns a 38-6 record in state tournament play, the third-highest winning percentage (.864) among coaches with a minimum of four state tournament appearances.

“The players make the coach,” said Cosgriff, who was inducted into the Minnesota High School Basketball Hall of Fame in 2020. “Coaches don’t make the players.”

Cosgriff has been blessed to have his brother Barry as part of his coaching staff throughout his career. Barry suffers from multiple sclerosis.

“I have been fortunate to have great assistant coaches with me,” Cosgriff said. “Barry is the best. He does everything that a head coach doesn’t want to do.”

Cosgriff will never forget the relationships he built with his second family, his players.

“There is nothing more important than the bond you have with family,” Cosgriff said. “I’ve had some amazing players around me. I’m grateful to have been along for the ride.”