Saint Mark’s High School boys basketball coach Lonnie Wright, suspended in December by the Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association for an offseason violation, had his five-game ban reduced by one after an appeal to the DIAA board at its monthly meeting on Jan. 15 in Dover.
Wright appeared at the meeting, as did Saint Mark’s principal Eileen Wilkinson, who was there to appeal the $1,000 penalty levied for the same incident. The DIAA board combined both the school’s and Wright’s appeal into one hearing.
The fine was upheld, as was a two-year probationary period for Wright.
Wright was suspended after organizing a “Battle of the Border” tournament last August at NBN Basketball Academy near Hockessin. He is the owner of NBN. Fourteen Delaware teams and 14 from Pennsylvania took part in the event, but it occurred during a dead period for high school winter and spring sports.
Several coaches were suspended or put on probation by their respective schools for infractions, and DIAA executive director David Baylor added other sanctions, such as letters of reprimand for the schools. Two Saint Mark’s assistant coaches were suspended for a game each; Wright was the only one to appeal.
During his appeal, Wright acknowledged his culpability but said the language about dead periods is unclear in state regulations. He did not coach the Saint Mark’s team at the event. The Battle of the Border was advertised as early as last March and received a great response, he said, and no one said a word to him about it being in a dead period.
Wright noted that in the past two years, he’s lost seven student-athletes to other schools, primarily those in the Philadelphia Catholic League. He was trying to give Delaware athletes a high-profile local showcase.
“The whole point was for our athletes,” Wright said. “We don’t give them an opportunity to go compete.”
Wright served two of the games at the beginning of the season before being allowed to rejoin the team. He told the board that he made a mistake and was willing to accept the two games, but he questioned why his punishment was so severe.
According to testimony during the appeal, Saint Mark’s recommended a letter of reprimand and a year of probation.
Baylor said “the totality of the circumstances” went into his decision to impose the five-game ban. Wright was the organizer, and it was at his facility. He promoted the event and allowed school names to be used. His own assistants coached.
“You as the organizer did not take any substantial steps to make sure you were in compliance,” Baylor said.
As for the school, Wilkinson said she saw the appeal process as an opportunity to have “a conversation” with the board. Saint Mark’s, she said, would abide by the original decision. Mistakes have consequences.
“I do not question your authority on delivering sanctions,” she said.
She asked that the board show some grace toward the school. The 2024-25 academic year was a challenging one for the Saint Mark’s athletic program, which may have contributed to the violation. She said the school could have been more thorough in its response to the DIAA, and she knows to ask more questions.
Saint Mark’s athletic director Matt Smith missed most of the 2024-25 academic year while battling cancer. He died this past fall.
“I’m asking you to believe that we made an honest mistake. We misinterpreted the rule. We promise we will do better,” she said.
Her request was that the other three games of Wright’s original suspension be eliminated for the good of the student-athletes on the team.
A board member originally suggested the five-game suspension be upheld, but after further discussion, a motion was made to reduce it. Wright will miss Saturday’s home game against Christiana and a road contest at Red Lion on Jan. 20. He is eligible to return Jan. 22 against Archmere, when the school will celebrate Smitty Strong Night in honor of the former athletic director.
