DAHLONEGA, Ga. — Former University of North Georgia men's basketball coach Chris Faulkner will take the helm of the Lumpkin County boys basketball program.
Lumpkin County made the announcement via Twitter Friday afternoon. They also announced Calhoun girls assistant coach Tess Wright will take over the girls program.
READ HERE: David Dowse steps down as Lady Indians head coach
READ HERE: Michael Parker steps down as Indians head coach
"After the interview process was complete, there was no question about who would be our next head men’s basketball coach," Lumpkin County principal Billy Kirk said in a press release. "Coach Faulkner needs no introduction to the sport of basketball in North Georgia, and we are fortunate to have a man of his caliber taking over our team to take us to new levels of success. I am proud to have him join our organization and have the utmost confidence he will take our team to where it needs to be."
Faulkner, who was a star guard at Lumpkin County High School, served as the UNG men's coach for 16 seasons. In 2019, he transitioned to the Athletics Development Officer at UNG.
Since then, he's been responsible for identifying, cultivating, and soliciting donors and prospective donors for charitable financial support of Nighthawk athletics through gifts, grants, and corporate sponsorships, according to the UNG Athletics website.
During his 16 seasons as head coach at UNG, he guided the Nighthawks to seven conference tournaments, including berths in the semifinals of the 2007-08 and 2012-13 Peach Belt Conference basketball tournaments. He was named the co-PBC Coach of the Year after the 2016-17 season, where he led his squad to the West Division championship.
Before his coaching career, Faulkner played at North Georgia. In 1993, he became an assistant coach in 1993 under former UNG head coach and athletic director Randy Dunn.
Wright comes to Lumpkin County from Calhoun High School. She was an assistant on the Lady Yellow Jackets basketball team and head girls tennis coach. She is a Calhoun graduate and played four years of college basketball at Thomas University and Reinhardt University.
"Coach Wright absolutely stood out in the many applicants we had for the head coaching position at Lumpkin County High School," Kirk said in the release. "Coach Wright exemplifies exactly what we are looking for to continue the tradition of success established here at LCHS; there is no question our girls and our team will be in great hands under her leadership."
