Kate Caruso, former standout player and longtime assistant at Wildwood Catholic, takes over as school’s head girls basketball coach

Posted: June 10th 2026

By BRIAN CUNNIFF

CapeAtlanticLive.com

Wildwood Catholic Academy didn’t have to look very far to find its next head girls basketball coach.

In fact, it is turning to one of its own.

Kate Caruso, a graduate of the school and a longtime assistant coach in the program, was announced as the new head coach by the school on Wednesday.

A 1987 graduate of the school, Caruso was a standout player in her day. She amassed 1,126 career points and was twice named a first team Cape-Atlantic League all-star. She was inducted into the Wildwood Catholic Hall of Fame in 2025.

Caruso replaces Steve DiPatri as head coach. DiPatri recently resigned from the position after a 13-season run, during which the program averaged more than 20 victories per season, appeared in four CAL title games and two South Jersey Non-Public B championship games.. DiPatri is expected to be named the next head girls basketball coach at Deptford High School.

“I’m very excited,” Caruso said. “It’s a little bittersweet because I didn’t want Steve to leave because the man did such an incredible job. But the way things worked out, I couldn’t say no to this.”

Caruso first joined the Wildwood Catholic girls basketball program as an assistant under Fran St. John for 11 seasons beginning in 1990. After a few years away from the program, she returned as an assistant under DiPatri in 2016.

Now, after 21 seasons as an assistant coach, Caruso will be running the program at her alma mater.

KATE CARUSO

“I’ve been doing this a long time, so I think I’m prepared from that aspect,” she said. “I’m going to do everything I can to keep this a good program and keep us on track.

“I’m going to try to carry on the legacy that we started and keep going with it. I’ll be very similar to what Steve did, but I’ll have my own different style, too. It’ll still be the same hard work but I want to bring a lot of fun to the program, too, and do a lot of things with team bonding. I want everyone who’s ever been a part of this program to be a part of the program still. I’d like to get a lot of the girls who’ve played here back in the gym watching us and supporting us.”

Caruso said that Caitlin McMullan, a 2017 graduate and career 1,000-point scorer at the school, will return to the coaching staff. She was previously an assistant for four seasons. Former Wildwood Catholic standout Marianna Papazoglou, a 2021 graduate and the program’s all-time leading scorer, is also expected to help.

Wildwood Catholic released a statement on Caruso’s appointment as head girls basketball coach, which read in part: “Beyond her impressive basketball resume, Coach Caruso brings outstanding leadership, mentorship and a deep love for Wildwood Catholic. … “Her commitment to the school’s mission, values and student-athletes has been evident throughout her many years of service to the program. Coach Caruso’s passion for the game, dedication to developing young women and unwavering loyalty to Wildwood Catholic make her the ideal person to lead the next chapter of Lady Crusaders basketball.”