New Plum athletic director Drew Karpen aims to bring stability to position

By: Michael Love
Saturday, June 24, 2023 | 11:34 AM

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Drew Karpen is in the final days of transition from his time as athletic director at Highlands to his new appointment as the athletic director and coordinator of student activities at Plum.

He said it’s been a whirlwind of thoughts, planning and action since he was hired by the Plum School Board on June 13.

“It’s been exciting. It’s been a lot. I am really looking forward to the challenge ahead,” said Karpen, who ends his four-year tenure at Highlands on Friday and begins at Plum as early as July 3.

“I’ve received a lot of encouragement and congratulations from people at both Plum and Highlands, with texts, phone calls and emails. I want to make sure everything is ready for the next (Highlands) athletic director.”

Karpen’s hiring at Plum came one day before he and his family embarked on a planned vacation to St. Louis.

He returned Thursday and dove right into the transition process.

“Athletic directors often don’t have a full vacation where they are not doing anything,” Karpen said.

“There is still a little bit of work to be done, and I reached out to a few people at Plum, and I had some school board members and other members of the administration reach out to get the process started.

“I was looking to elevate my career, and Plum is a fantastic school district. The athletic program is strong, and it is backed by an equally strong tradition. It’s a position that once it opened up, I knew I wanted to pursue it.

Karpen assumes the Plum AD duties from Scott Heinauer, a former AD and football coach at Mars who was hired as the interim AD at Plum in February.

Heinauer took over for Brian Miller, who stepped down in January after one year with Plum athletics, citing family reasons for his decision.

“I have a fantastic relationship with Scott with our time together in the WPIAL and PIAA,” Karpen said.

“He is someone I will continue to lean on. He will be able to show me the ropes of what to expect at Plum and what is going on currently with getting everything ready for the fall. He is still working hard on filling some of the holes for the fall seasons. Any time I have any questions, I know I can come to him.”

Karpen, who was hired at Highlands in August 2019 and served as the AD there for four academic years, will be the fourth Plum athletic director, including Heinauer in his interim role, since the school district parted ways with Bob Alpino in 2018.

He understands the frustration many have with the recent turnover in the AD position.

“That was something that was discussed, and I want to bring stability to the position,” said Karpen, who lives in Mars but will soon be moving his family to Plum.

“I understand the trust issues with the turnover. Once I get started and start to build relationships, which mean so much to me, with the student-athletes, coaches, the boosters, the family members and the community, I hope they come to understand that I am in it for the long haul and am dedicated to helping bring success to all of the Plum athletic programs.”

While there is excitement for Karpen in beginning at Plum, he did acknowledge it will be tough to say goodbye to all the good things from his time at Highlands.

“I was at Highlands four years, and I am leaving at the same time this year’s seniors were just starting out as freshman,” he said. “I was able to see that class grow throughout their high school years.

“This also was my first full athletic director position. I got to see the boys basketball team win a WPIAL title, the softball team make the longest (playoff) run in its history, and see so many other athletes and teams represent the school with dedication and hard work. My first year ended with the start of the covid pandemic. We made a lot of changes with facilities and upgrades. I made so many friends and relationships with people that will last a lifetime.”

The now-open Highlands athletic director position now is posted to the school district website and all of its social channels. Karpen said he will work with the Highlands administration in an advisory role as they conduct the search and selection process.

Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.

Tags: Plum