CINCINNATI -- Walnut Hills High School announced Friday morning it has hired Gerry Beauchamp as its head football coach.
Beauchamp replaces Brian Lainhart, who was dismissed in April amid accusations of recruiting violations. The Ohio High School Athletic Association placed Walnut Hills on a two-year probation because of the violations.
READ MORE: OHSAA reprimands Walnut Hills High School for football recruiting violations with probation and fine
Walnut Hills named assistant coach Brian Miller as the interim head coach this spring. Miller did not apply to become the new head coach.
Over the last 20 years, Beauchamp has coached high school football locally and worked in recruiting for the University of Cincinnati’s football team. Most recently, Beauchamp was the offensive coordinator at La Salle High School and helped guide the school to three consecutive Division II state championships. He also was an assistant coach at Covington Catholic High School in 2006 when the school won Kentucky’s AAA state title.
Beauchamp worked in recruiting at the University of Cincinnati during the tenures of both Brian Kelly and Butch Jones. Beauchamp was on Coach Kelly’s staff when the Bearcats won back-to-back Big East championships and played in the Orange Bowl and Sugar Bowl.
Beauchamp started his coaching career in 1998 as an assistant coach at his alma mater Mason High School. He also has coached in the Cincinnati Public School District as an assistant football coach and head coach for track and field at Western Hills High School, and as the offensive coordinator at Shroder High School.
Beauchamp and his wife Alia have a three-year-old daughter.
“I am humbled to receive this opportunity from Walnut Hills, the top public high school in the state of Ohio,” Beauchamp said. “I am looking forward to mentoring our football student athletes, helping them achieve their goals and building a winning culture. I am excited to meet and begin building relationships with the players, parents, staff, administration and alumni.”
Beauchamp was selected Thursday after the district conducted several interviews with candidates for the position.
“Walnut Hills and the athletic department are very confident and excited with this hire,” incoming Walnut Hills Athletic Director Steve Ellison said. “We are eager to get our football program on the right track in moving forward with laying the foundations of a winning program. More importantly, Coach Beauchamp is an outstanding role model for our student-athletes, and we are excited that we now have him as the leader of our football program to provide opportunities for success on and off the field.”
This is the first hire at Walnut Hills under Ellison.
Josh Hardin, Cincinnati Public Schools Athletics Manager, was part of the hiring committee for this position.
“We are pleased to hire Gerry Beauchamp as he brings a history of excellence and great experience to the Walnut Hills football program,” Hardin said.
“Steve Ellison and his team did an excellent job of vetting these candidates from top to bottom,” Hardin said, “and they put in many hours to make sure we found the perfect fit to lead the Walnut Hills football program. I am excited for the future of football at Walnut Hills and the direction of Walnut Hills’ athletics under Steve Ellison’s leadership.”
Walnut Hills (4-6 in 2016), a Division I program, opens the season Aug. 26 against Lakota East (5-5 in 2016) at 11 a.m. at Nippert Stadium as part of the 20th annual Skyline Chili Crosstown Showdown.
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