Bishop Guertin girls basketball coach Brad Kreick gives Meghan Stack a hug after presenting her with her championship medal March 12.Kreick stepped down Wednesday as the Cards coach after eight seasons. (Telegraph file photo by TOM KING)

NASHUA — The most successful girls varsity basketball coach in the history of Bishop Guertin High School is calling it quits after 167 wins and seven state championships in eight seasons.

Brad Kreick, an assistant coach who was promoted to the head job back in May of 2015, informed the Guertin community on Wednesday night via e-mail that he was stepping down due to family and work commitments.

“It was a combination of things,” Kreick told The Telegraph. “When I took the job eight years ago, I kind of had an agreement with my family that I’d try to give it a five-year window.”

But, then COVID hit in 2020, and at the end of that season Kreick’s Cardinals never got to finish the tournament on the court, sharing a title with Goffstown as the two highest seeds remaining when the plug was pulled. Then Kreick wanted to see it through with the group of freshmen from that season that included players such as All-Staters Brooke Paquette and Meghan Stack.

“I just fell in love with that group of kids,” Kreick said. “I couldn’t get myself in a place where I wasn’t going to see it through with them until they graduate, which is obviously this year.”

Kreick’s Cardinals finished 21-0 and beat Bedford for the Division I crown 10 days ago.