Pickerington Central’s Wallace resigns
One of central Ohio’s top girls basketball programs is in the market for a new coach.
Chris Wallace has resigned at Pickerington Central after three seasons in which he went 69-16 and guided the Tigers to the past two Division I state tournaments.
Wallace confirmed his resignation in a text message to The Dispatch on Thursday but did not respond to a request for further comment.
Central principal Tom Lanier and athletic director Lisa Morelli did not immediately return messages seeking comment.
Wallace was an assistant at Central for six seasons before taking over the program in July 2021.
Central has won nine consecutive district championships and reached the state tournament four times since 2018. The Tigers won their seventh title that year, third most in state history behind Africentric (nine) and Cincinnati Mount Notre Dame (eight), and were state runners-up in 2019.
The Tigers were 27-3 in Occ-buckeye play during Wallace’s tenure.
Central went 25-4 this season, losing to Springboro 63-54 in a state semifinal.
His daughter, Berry, was district and state Player of the Year this season and participated in the Mcdonald’s All-american Game last week in Houston. The Illinois signee averaged 16.3 points, 9.4 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.9 steals and graduates with 1,477 points, 971 rebounds, 246 assists and 142 steals.
Youngest daughter Blossom was a sophomore forward for Central this season. Older daughter Bexley, a 2018 graduate and key piece to the Tigers’ most recent state title, played at Penn State and Kent State. dpurpura@dispatch.com @dp_dispatch