A Portage Life in the Spotlight: Renee Turpa
- By: Claire Kenney
- Last Updated: March 18, 2026
Renee Turpa is a coach, a mentor, and a leader. A nearly lifelong resident of Northwest Indiana, Turpa currently resides in Valparaiso with her husband Pete and is actively involved with Portage schools and athletics.
Turpa has coached women’s sports at Portage High School, Marquette Catholic High School, and others in the Region. While she has been actively involved as a coach in both track and cross country, most of her coaching career has a connection to basketball.
“I’ve coached track and cross country,” she said. “I love both of these sports and appreciate my athletes across all the teams I’ve coached. That being said, most of my career has been spent coaching basketball.”
At Portage High School, Turpa served as head coach for Girls Varsity Basketball for nearly two decades and to this day remains the winningest coach in the school’s history. Turpa also served as head coach of the Girls Varsity Basketball team at Valparaiso High School and later as assistant coach for the Marquette Catholic Girls Varsity Basketball team where she led the team to two state titles, four regional championships, and the 2024 State Runner-Up.
In 2021, Turpa received the National High School Basketball Coaches Association’s (NHSBCA) Court of Honor. She is the first woman in the United States to receive such recognition. Just a few years after receiving this award, the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association (IBCA) announced that the Girls Basketball state championship coaches trophy would list her name in perpetuity.
“I believe that athletes learn more than the actual sport itself they participate in, especially when mentored well,” Turpa said. “I always approach coaching from this perspective. So many life skills can be gained from participating in athletics.”
As one might imagine, Turpa has a special passion for mentoring young women.
“Across my career, I’ve always tried to inspire my female athletes to be the best they can be both on and off the court,” said Turpa. “The piece of advice I always want them to remember is to never sell yourself short.”
Turpa’s basketball legacy at Portage High School prompted the school to rename its gymnasium after Turpa. ESPN covered the formal renaming ceremony at the school where they made a nod to her approach to mentorship through coaching.
Turpa was touched tremendously by this tribute from Portage High School.
“It was really an honor,” said Turpa. “Portage High School will always have a special place in my heart. I’ve had the opportunity to work with many, many wonderful athletes at the high school.”
Turpa earned her bachelor’s degree from Ball State University where she also earned varsity letters in Women’s Golf, Women’s Basketball, and Women’s Softball. Furthermore, Turpa was one of the first beneficiaries of Title IX.
Today, Turpa is a member of the Board of Directors for the NHSBCA and for the National Organization of Coaches Association Directors. She also serves as assistant director with the IBCA and is active with the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association Youth Sports Committee.