Fred Lynch’s name has become synonymous with E.A. Laney High School athletics since his arrival nearly five decades ago.

A native of Rutherford, N.C., Lynch has amassed 50 years of service with New Hanover County Schools, including 46 years at Laney. He spent 36 years as the boy’s basketball coach and has served as athletic director for the last 30 years. While he has also coached baseball, tennis and girl’s basketball for the Bucs, Lynch’s bread and butter has always been basketball.

Lynch was Laney’s basketball chief for 36 years and closed out his career with a 426-242 record, winning six conference championships, seven conference tournament crowns, the Eastern Regional title and State Runner-up in 1999.

Lynch racked up a myriad of honors on the bench. He was named Mideastern Conference Coach-of-the-Year seven times, served as head coach of the East-West All-Star game in 2006 and coached in the NC/SC Carolina Classic in 2011.

Lynch became Laney’s athletic director in 1993. He has served on the North Carolina Athletic Directors Association (NCADA) Board of Directors and was recipient of the group’s Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2021, he was inducted into the North Carolina Athletic Directors Hall of Fame.

A 1975 graduate of Winston-Salem State, Lynch was also inducted into the Laney Athletic Hall of Fame in 2012.