In the winter of 1989, Todd Holthaus began his college basketball career at Waldorf College in Forest City, Iowa. At the same time, Kim Muhl was hired to be the women's basketball coach at Kirkwood Community College in nearby Cedar Rapids.
So imagine the odds that 37 years later, Holthaus, head coach at Pima College the last 19 years, would be coaching against Muhl in the NJCAA women's national championship game. To make it more special, it was the last game Muhl would coach. He is something like the John Wooden of women's JC basketball, winning a record nine national titles and 1,108 games, the most in NJCAA history.
Todd Holthaus, head women's basketball coach at Pima Community College, talks to his players following an afternoon practice inside Aztec gymnasium, Feb. 12, 2026.
Yet Holthaus' Aztecs spoiled Muhl's retirement with a 64-58 victory. "I've heard about coach Muhl for 37 years but I never coached against him until (the championship game)," said Holthaus. "What are the odds of that?"
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Holthaus' Aztecs will be honored by Tucson mayor Regina Romero on Tuesday, although it will probably not be as heart-warming as the news that Holthaus' oldest daughter, Makayla Holthaus, a student at NAU, has been hired to be the graduate assistant men's basketball trainer by Tommy Lloyd for the 2026-27 season. Makayla will be the first female trainer in UA men's basketball history. She'll have the opportunity to work with head trainer Justin Kokoskie, known fondly as "J-Mac," by Lloyd, who has been at that post since 2001.
Pima women's basketball coach Todd Holthaus (center) enjoys a Budweiser with his two daughters, Makayla and Annalise, after the Aztecs won their first-ever NJCAA Division II national championship.
Pima women's basketball coach Holthaus rose from the ashes | Greg Hansen
