CINCINNATI — Walnut Hills High School named Stuart Holt as its head boys basketball coach/program director for the 2022-23 school year.
Holt, a 2013 Walnut Hills graduate, has been on the boys basketball staff since 2013 with experience as an assistant and head coach on all levels from seventh grade to junior varsity. He was most recently the junior varsity head coach since 2020.
“I’m looking forward to the opportunity to continue being a part of the tradition of excellence at the school that shaped me into the person I am today,” Holt said in a statement.
“We are going to create a culture of excellence that challenges, supports, and empowers our student-athletes to become servant leaders in the community, extraordinary students, and exceptional athletes."
Holt succeeds Ricardo Hill who accepted the Indian Hill High School boys basketball coach and program director position in May. Hill had been the Walnut Hills boys basketball coach in 2012.
Holt was a member of the 2013 Division I state Final Four team at Walnut Hills - the first state Final Four appearance in program history.
Holt returned to the Walnut Hills program under the tutelage of Hill after graduation.
“We are excited to watch Stu step to this new role,” said Walnut Hills athletic director Shauniece Steele. “Stu has shown over the years that it’s more than just basketball, and that he deeply cares about the kids and their goals – both on and off of the court. It’s been an amazing journey watching him move through the ranks,coaching, connecting and building relationships and truly creating a sense of family and pride in being a Walnut Hills student-athlete. He has worked closely with Ricardo over the years, and is ready to jump right in and put his stamp on the program."
Walnut Hills (23-3 overall, 15-1 Eastern Cincinnati Conference) features 2024 power forward Tyler McKinley, who is rated Ohio's No. 1 boys basketball player in his class by 247 Sports. He has reported nine scholarship offers including University of Cincinnati, Xavier, Ohio State, Kansas State, South Carolina, West Virginia, Dayton, Ohio University and Miami University.
McKinley has accepted an invitation to participate in the 2022 USA Basketball Men's Under-17 National Team training camp June 18-25 in Colorado Springs.
