The most successful coach in Alcovy High history is moving on.

After five years as Alcovy’s girls’ basketball coach, Kidada Holtzclaw accepted the same position at South Gwinnett two weeks ago.

Holtzclaw won 93 games after taking over the Lady Tigers in just their second year of existence. Before she came to Alcovy prior to 2008-09, the Lady Tigers won just 10 games, and Holtzclaw took them from a five-win season in 2008-09 to a Region 2-AAAAAA championship in her final season, 2012-13.

“I pretty much felt like I’ve done the things I set out to do and met the goals I set out to reach in Alcovy,” Holtzclaw said. “I felt like this was a great move for me.”

The South Gwinnett Lady Comets were 14-12 last season, but went 18-11 and reached the playoffs in 2011-12, won a state championship in 2005 and lost in the finals to a Maya Moore-led Collins Hill squad in 2006-07.

“I’m most excited about something new,” Holtzclaw said. “I’m excited about the community; Gwinnett is a huge athletics community and the people really get behind their young athletes.”

Holtzclaw met with the Lady Comets Thursday, and said the players were both excited and skeptical of the change.

“I really enjoyed meeting the parents and the people in the community,” Holtzclaw said. “One of the great things about the Gwinnett community is the athletics community. When I had the opportunity to speak with the young ladies and talk about the expectations I saw in them, the opportunity we have going forward to be state competitors again, they were very receptive of that.”

Under Holtzclaw’s leadership, the Lady Tigers became state competitors, reaching the playoffs her final four seasons, and reached the state’s final four in 2011-12, falling to Miller Grove 42-34.

Alcovy also sent seven players to college under Holtzclaw, something she is most proud of in her time in Newton County.

“Just having the opportunity to affect the lives day in and day out and build the relationships,” Holtzclaw said. “We’ve had seven players go on to play college basketball in four years, and that’s something I guess I would say I’m the most proud of — to coach those kids and for them to have the opportunity to go on and play at the next level.”