After leading Lake Norman High to national acclaim, Grant Hodges has a new job
Grant Hodges is going home.
After stepping down as head coach at Lake Norman High School in April, Grant Hodges has been named head boys’ basketball coach of Alexander Central High School in Taylorsville, N.C., about an hour west of Charlotte.
Hodges was assistant coach under Ed Wills at Alexander Central from 2007-17, two years before he took the head job at Lake Norman.
Alexander Central was 12-13 and 12-15 the past two seasons under Cam Gant, but had five straight winning seasons before that under Wills.
Next season, when the NCHSAA moves from four classifications to eight, Alexander Central will be a 6A team and play in the Northwestern 6A/7A.
“Coach Hodges is no stranger to (Alexander Central),” Alexander Central principal Jacob Lail said. “ We are excited to welcome him back to direct our (boys’) basketball program. His coaching experience, along with his strong connection to this community, make him a natural fit for the position.”
In six seasons at Lake Norman, Hodges’ teams finished 110-44 and won three conference championships, three conference tournament championships and reached the 2024 N.C. 4A Western Regional championship game.
Lake Norman was nationally ranked and favored to win the 2025 4A state championship, but was forced to drop out of the playoffs, before the third round began, due to an ineligible player. Shortly after Lake Norman basketball was forced to end its season over eligibility problems, additional eligibility issues surfaced with some of the school’s spring sports teams. Eventually, Lake Norman athletic director Jay Keener was reassigned to another position within the district.
Now, Hodges — the founder and current CEO of the Carolina Riptide AAU basketball organization — will get a fresh start with his old team.
“It truly is great to be back home,” Hodges said. “I look forward to working with the players and parents in our program to help each player develop into fine young men, both on and off the court. I realize there is great community support for our school and program, and I will work to continue the growing support.”
Hodges and his wife, Paula, have three adult children, Blan, Clay, and Reagan. Hodges will begin his teaching duties at Alexander Central in August.
“It is great to be able to welcome coach Hodges back to the Cougar family here at Alexander Central,” Robinson said. “(He) has been around basketball for a long time and knows that game very well. I know the program is in good hands moving forward and that he will help our young men grow both on and off the court.”
