Former Martins Ferry High School standout Nate Alexander will soon be honored with a tribute that cements his legacy at Osceola High School. On Tuesday, November 18, the school will officially name its basketball court after the coach who led the Kowboys to historic success.
Alexander, a 2002 Martins Ferry graduate, spent 13 seasons with Osceola’s basketball program — nine as head coach from 2011 to 2020 — compiling 198 wins, two state championships (2016-17 and 2018-19), a state runner-up finish, and five total playoff appearances.
Calling the honor “truly humbling,” Alexander credited the players, coaching staff, and community that helped build a winning culture. “We never got caught up in the scoreboard — if we learned, we won,” he said.
Before his coaching career in FL, Alexander was a multi-sport athlete at Martins Ferry, playing quarterback and safety for Coach Dave Bruney’s Purple Riders and starting on Coach Jeff Sabatino’s basketball team. He also played one season at Ohio University Eastern.
Alexander says his success stems from a “village” of mentors, including his Purple Rider coaches and his brother Ryan, a highly regarded Ohio high school baseball coach.
Now a real estate agent, Alexander lives with his wife, former Wheeling Park athlete Julie Gompers, and their three children. While focused on family and his career, he hasn’t ruled out a return to the sidelines — especially if it means coaching his own kids.
