Varsity Head Coach
John Wanke
Varsity Head Coach
Coach John Wanke is entering his sixth season as the varsity head coach of the Upper Arlington Golden Bears and his 15th overall season coaching in the School District. Over his first five seasons as head coach, Wanke has compiled an 88–34 record, a 72% winning percentage, while helping establish the Golden Bears as one of Ohio’s premier high school basketball programs.
Since taking the helm, Coach has established a vision centered on sustained excellence at every level. That vision has produced incredible results, highlighted by the 2024–25 season, when the Golden Bears reached as high as No. 3 in the OHSAA state rankings, earned the No. 1 tournament seed in the Division I Central District for the first time in school history, and finished 22–3. Wanke was named OCC Coach of the Year, and the season culminated with the program’s first District Championship since 2016 and its first OCC Central Conference title since 2014. Since the beginning of his tenure, five Upper Arlington players have gone on to continue their basketball careers at the collegiate level - Alyssa Gest, Kate Leach, Ceylone Brooks, Ava Harrigan and Elizabeth Hunt.
Despite a challenging 2025–26 campaign that was impacted by significant injuries, the Golden Bears continued to demonstrate the culture that have become hallmarks of the program. Upper Arlington finished second in the OCC at 7–3 and 12–11 overall, earning key victories over Olentangy Liberty, Newark, Hilliard Bradley, Reynoldsburg, and Bishop Watterson. The team also competed in three prominent showcases—Journey to the Tourney, Classic in the City, and Battle in the 614. Several young players gained significant varsity experience that will provide a strong foundation heading into the 2026–27 season.
Four Upper Arlington players earned OCC recognition following the 2025–26 season, including returning standouts Leighton Backes, Molly Martin, and Eva Tsai. The program also continued to emphasize excellence beyond the court, with the varsity team posting a 3.9 cumulative GPA.
The Golden Bears are scheduled to compete in two premier showcases during the 2026–27 season, including a holiday trip to the Tampa Bay Invitational.
A cornerstone of the Upper Arlington basketball community, Coach Wanke previously served as a longtime assistant under legendary coach Tim Casey, helping lead the boys’ program to a state runner-up finish in 2012–2013, along with three district titles and six league championships. He has also coached at the freshman and middle school levels, further strengthening the foundation of the program.
Currently, Coach devotes much of his energy into developing youth basketball in Upper Arlington. With incredible support from community volunteers and coaches, he has helped build a best-in-class Grades 3–8 program that continues to grow and elevate the future of Golden Bears basketball.
A Dayton, Ohio native, Coach Wanke played under Hall of Fame coaches Joe Petrocelli at Kettering Alter High School—where his teams made two state final four appearances—and Charlie Coles at Miami University (OH). Coach Petrocelli, who retired in 2013, is one of two Ohio coaches with 800+ wins. He coached two NBA players (John and Jim Paxson) and won three state championships, eight regional and 24 district titles.
Coach Wanke has been married to his beautiful wife, Erin, for nineteen years. Together, they have three children. Outside of basketball, he works at Salesforce, following a 12-year career at Microsoft Corporation.
9/30/2026
Varsity Assistant Coach
Jarret Hubbard
Varsity Assistant Coach
Coach Hubbard grew up in Worthington, Ohio playing basketball and soccer for Thomas Worthington High School. He played soccer at Otterbein University and graduated with his Masters in Healthcare Administration. This will be his 10th year as a basketball coach and his 6th year with Upper Arlington High School.
9/30/2026
JV Head Coach
DuJuan White
JV Head Coach
Coach White has nine years of coaching football and five years coaching girls basketball in the district. Coach White brings a strong blend of leadership, player development, and program commitment to his teams. In addition to his work in education and athletics, he is an Independent Provider with the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities (DODD).
He is completing his degree in Special Education with the goal of becoming a licensed Intervention Specialist. Coach White resides in Columbus with his wife, Lola, and their three children: Alexandria, Kendrix, and Jaxon.
Assistant Coach
Jennifer Green
Assistant Coach
Jennifer Green, a graduate from the UAHS Class of 2022, is beginning her fourth season with the girls' basketball program as an assistant coach. She played basketball all four years of her high school career, earning two varsity letters as a Golden Bear. Her passion for the game and the culture this program has built not only in the community but across the state is why she continues to return. She looks forward to contributing to the program's success and continuing the rebuild from her senior year. Currently, she is attending The Ohio State University, where she is pursuing a degree in Middle Childhood Education.
Jennifer graduated from The Ohio State University with a degree in Middle Childhood Education and is currently pursuing her career in education at St. Andrew's School, teaching 6th Grade.
9/30/2026
Assistant Coach
Jodi Green
Assistant Coach
Jodi Green is a graduate of the Class of 2022 at Upper Arlington High School. She is beginning her fifth season with the girls basketball program as an assistant coach. She played basketball all four years for the Bears and earned two varsity letters. Basketball has played a major role in her life and has given her a lifelong passion for the game. The contagious drive and culture that this program is building is something special, which ultimately inspired her to return. She is excited to continue to watch the program grow and succeed.
Jodi graduated from The Ohio State University with a degree in Early Childhood Education and is currently pursuing her career in education at St. Andrew's School.
9/30/2026
Assistant Coach
Alyssa Gest
Assistant Coach
Alyssa Gest enters her first season as a varsity assistant coach for the Upper Arlington High School girls basketball program. A 2022 graduate of Upper Arlington High School and former player, she brings a deep understanding of the program's culture, values, and tradition of excellence.
During her playing career at Upper Arlington, Alyssa earned three varsity letters and served as team captain during the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons. She remains the program's all-time leader in career free throw percentage and set the school record for most three-pointers made in a season during the 2021-22 season. Her accomplishments also include Second Team All-OCC, Third Team All-District, All-Metro Honorable Mention, and multiple All-OCC recognitions.
After high school, Alyssa continued her basketball career at Kenyon College, where she played four years for the Owls. She ranks sixth in program history in career three-point percentage and was recognized by Kenyon Athletics and earned the Comeback Athlete of the Year Award following a return from an ACL injury suffered during the 2022-23 season. She averaged 9 points per game throughout her collegiate career and served as team captain during the 2025-26 season. Alyssa graduated from Kenyon College with a Bachelor of Arts in Biology and a minor in German.
Outside of coaching, she works within The Ohio State University Athletics Department and is pursuing a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree. Her experiences as a player, leader, student-athlete, and healthcare professional provide a unique perspective as she helps develop Upper Arlington's student-athletes both on and off the court.
Coach Alyssa is excited to return to her alma mater and contribute to the continued success of the Golden Bears program.
9/30/2026
Assistant Coach
Tony Demingo
Assistant Coach
Tony Demingo Jr. is entering his first season as a Varsity Assistant Coach for the Upper Arlington High School Girls Basketball program.
A Columbus native, Coach Demingo grew up playing basketball and running track at Bishop Hartley High School and brings over 10 years of coaching experience from a championship-level high school program. For the last four years, he has proudly served the Upper Arlington community as a site manager and most recently as an educational aide at Jones Middle School, giving him a strong connection to the students and families in the district
He is excited to bring his passion for positively impacting student-athletes, skill development, and culture-building to the Golden Bears.
9/30/2026
Freshmen Coach
Ashley Barrington
Freshmen Coach
Coach Barrington graduated from Hilliard Davidson High School in 2021, where she played basketball all four years. She went on to attend Capital University, where she earned her degree in Integrated Mathematics with a minor in Coaching. She is now a high school math teacher at Upper Arlington and is excited to bring her passion for working with students into coaching.
This is Coach Barrington’s first season as the Head Coach of the Junior Varsity B team. She is excited to help her players grow both on and off the court, develop their skills, build confidence, and learn the value of teamwork. She is looking forward to a great season and is excited for the opportunity to help these girls succeed!
9/30/2026
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