FOREST PARK, Ohio — Carlton Gray has been named the Winton Woods High School head girls basketball coach and the defensive coordinator for the varsity football team, pending board of education approval later this month.
Gray, a Forest Park High School graduate, is a former NFL defensive back who was inducted into the UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame in 2004. Forest Park and Greenhills high schools merged in the early 1990s to form Winton Woods.
"I feel that it's a win-win for our community," Winton Woods athletic director David Lumpkin told WCPO this afternoon. "Carlton and many of his family still live in the Forest Park community. An opportunity for him to come home where he played and went on to play college as well as play professional and now coming back to give back to the school."
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Gray is a longtime assistant coach in girls basketball, track and football at Lakota West.
Lakota West athletic director Scott Kaufman said he's very happy for the new opportunity for Gray.
Gray had been the defensive coordinator for the Lakota West football program with current head coach Tom Bolden, former interim head coach Jeff Wadl and former head coach Larry Cox.
Lakota West (8-1 in 2020) was a Division I regional finalist. The Firebirds allowed just 51 points all season.
"It's a great professional opportunity for Carlton Gray and Lakota West girls basketball wishes him the best," Lakota West head girls basketball coach Andy Fishman said.
Gray's elder daughter, former Lakota West standout Amber Gray, was also a Lakota West girls basketball assistant coach this season.
Lakota West 2022 guard Chance Gray, Gray's younger daughter, is one of the nation's top girls basketball players in the 2022 class.
Carlton Gray succeeds Mike Walker as the Winton Woods girls basketball coach.
Gray joins the Winton Woods football coaching staff with new head coach Chad Murphy.
Winton Woods named Murphy the new head coach in mid-March after former head coach Andre Parker took the Princeton head coaching position.
Murphy said he's looking forward to working with Gray.
"I couldn't be more excited about the hire," Murphy said.
"A guy with a ton of coaching experience, specifically in the GMC (Greater Miami Conference), playing experience at the highest levels and being a graduate of Forest Park will bring even that much more passion. I'm happy for Coach Gray, Winton Woods High School, Warrior football and our kids."
