'As long as I'm healthy, I'll keep coaching'

Bishop England High School girls’ basketball coach Paul Runey is on course to have a date with destiny next season as he closes in on becoming the all-time winningest girls’ coach in Palmetto State history. 

For now, the affable coach, who has been at BE in some capacity for 52 years, is focused on another region championship. 

The Bishops went undefeated in Region 6-AAAA play last winter. It was the 25th time a Runey-coached Bishop team was crowned region champ. 

It could be more of the same as Runey begins the 2025-26 campaign with 829 victories against 227 losses. He needs 33 victories to pass South Carolina's legendary coach Anne Long as the state's all-time winningest coach. 

“I still feel good,” said Runey, who turns 70 on Jan. 26. “I think about it occasionally. People ask about it. They say, ‘You are so close. You can do it.’ But now that the season is at hand, all I’m thinking about is this season. 

“It’s been a good ride,” Runey added. “I have some good girls to work with. They wanted to learn and get better. As long as I’m healthy, I’ll keep coaching.” 

The Bishops posted a 23-4 record last winter, including 10-0 in the region. The team lost some talented players, including Hannah Rosato, a scrappy and talented all-state selection. Lisse van de Erve was another key loss. 

This season, only three seniors are on the 12-player roster, and only two starters return. 

The seniors are Hadley Irvine, Hayden Seay, and Anna Kate Christy. The returning starters are Irvine and junior Olivia Allen. 

Allen was one of the state’s super sophomores last winter. She led the Bishops with 13.2 points and 7.8 rebounds a game. She also led the Bishops in 3-point shooting percentage. 

“Allen is probably one of the most versatile players on the team,” Runey said. “She probably could play all five positions if she had to.” 

Irvine, at 6-1, is a presence inside. She is more of a finesse player than physical. She led the Bishops in two categories with 53 percent shooting from the field and 2.0 blocked shots per contest. She was third on the BE squad with 5.6 rebounds per game. 

“Both Olivia and Hadley are good high school basketball players,” Runey said. “We will count on them. They have worked hard to become successful. They are workhorses.” 

Christy and Seay, the other seniors on the team, give the Bishops a presence inside and outside, respectively. 

A pair of juniors, Ella Runkle and Elisa Artigues, are battling for the other starting position. 

The Bishops will face a challenging high school schedule with Wando, Lucy Beckham, Hammond, Philip Simmons, and Porter-Gaud on the docket. 

The Bishops face another challenge, playing in Region 6-AAAA thanks to a multiplier the High School League uses to level the playing field. The Bishops, with the enrollment of a Class AA school, play against schools that have almost twice the number of students. 

“People tell me, ‘You can only play five on the court at one time.’ But they have a tremendous talent pool to choose from,” Runey said.