Quincy Notre Dame tabs Liberty’s Altmix to be next boys basketball coach

QUINCY — Greg Altmix understood the allegiance his great-nephew had when the Liberty and Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball teams crossed paths.

As a parochial school student playing for the Crusaders program, he had to root for the Raiders.

“It stung a little seeing my great-nephew down there cheering for Notre Dame and rooting against us,” Altmix, who spent the past 10 years as the Liberty head coach, said with a chuckle. “I was kind of like, ‘C’mon, man, what are you doing to me?’”

There won’t be any questions of allegiance any longer.

Tuesday morning, the 57-year-old Altmix became the next QND boys basketball coach, returning to the school where he first had the chance to coach at the high school level, where both of his sons graduated from and he expects his grandson to eventually attend.

“It does feel like it’s come full circle,” Altmix said.

Altmix replaces Kevin Meyer, who resigned in April after nine seasons on the QND bench. He inherits a team that went 17-11 last winter and returns a solid nucleus of talent anchored by sophomore guard Jace Allensworth, who was an Illinois Basketball Coaches Association honorable mention all-stater.

“I’m definitely coming into a full cupboard there,” said Altmix, who has a career coaching record of 247-171. “Nothing like adding a little pressure when you come in and take over a good team. That’s the biggest challenge there. How quickly can we get a buy-in? What kind of relationships are already formed and what can I do to enhance those relationships?

“I want to do everything I can to provide these young men with the opportunity to be successful.”

Altmix spent six seasons as the head sophomore coach at QND as part of Scott Douglas’ staff before getting the opportunity to run his own program in 2002 when he became the head coach at Highland, Mo. In five seasons there, he led the Cougars to a 101-41 record with a Class 2 state quarterfinal appearance.

He spent two seasons coaching girls basketball at Quincy High School before taking the Liberty job in 2014.

The Eagles soared under Altmix’s guidance, finishing third at the Class 1A state tournament in 2016 and as the Class 1A state runner-up in 2022. It was the first state title game appearance in Liberty history.

Overall, Altmix went 146-130 at Liberty, including a 10-18 record last winter with a roster filled with underclass talent.

“Whoever steps in there has the opportunity to do something special,” Altmix said.

That made the decision to leave bittersweet.

“After I talked to the players (Monday), some of the Liberty families have reached out to me and offered me their congratulations and their thanks and their gratitude,” Altmix said. “That right there is the perfect example of why I loved coaching out there and why it was hard to leave.

“The people out there have been fantastic to me and fantastic to my family. It’s been complete support.”