Adam Craig recently stepped down after six years in the role, having guided Ballynahinch to three fifth place finishes in Energia All-Ireland League Men's Division 1A.
Under former player Craig, 'Hinch, this past season's Energia Bateman Cup runners-up, won three Bank of Ireland Ulster Senior Cup titles in four years, as well as enjoying a period of dominance in the Ulster Rugby Premiership with a three-in-a-row.
He guided the Ireland Club XV to impressive victories over Portugal 'A' and Scotland Clubs in the last two seasons, and will continue to coach at Sullivan Upper School.
Ballynahinch praised Craig and John Gunson, their outgoing forwards coach, for their 'skill, dedication, and commitment to coach at this level over a prolonged period', and for their 'impact on successive squads and other young coaches'.
Taking over from Craig at Ballymacarn Park will be fellow teacher Mike Orchin-McKeever, a man synonymous with rugby at Ballyclare RFC and Ballyclare High School.
He famously made history with Ballyclare in 2024 when they won both the Energia Junior Cup and Ulster Championship 1 crowns before gaining promotion to the All-Ireland League for the first time.
A highly-rated coach, he now takes the reins at the only Ulster club in Division 1A, and is clearly determined to help them claim that elusive play-off place.
"From being an outsider looking in, Ballynahinch have a lot of resilience in them. They've had those fifth place finishes, three years on the bounce," he said.
"Finishing eighth this year, I had a look at some of their results over the course of a couple of years. Only getting 10 wins in a season, that's something you'd want to target.
"But the reality is I'm coming in as the outsider, and I want to come in to listen to the traditions that they do and respect what Ballynahinch have.
"And then create a standard and an accountability, maybe at a different level or a fresh approach for players, and see where we can take it.
"Really it has to be over what we agree, not what I think. Maybe it's what I feel, but it is what we agree on how we're going to approach things."
On his coaching philosophy, he admitted: "Mine's pretty simple. It is built around fun, challenge, and connection. There is a sweet spot to be hit there that will be moving at all times.
"The closer we can hit the middle the better, with a framework that's made around intensity with intent. Every training session, intensity with intent for a reason."
Orchin-McKeever is set to have a strong squad to work with, led by talismanic forward Bradley Luney, Conor Rankin, Aaron Sexton, and Claytan Milligan who all played for the Ireland Club international team this year.
Declan Horrox and Sexton finished high up in the division's rankings for tackles made (177) and line breaks (20), respectively, while Reuben Crothers made his return to rugby, and Jon Rodgers and Ryan Connolly are two of their emerging youngsters.
Kyle McCall and Mark Best, still an influential figure in the County Down side's midfield, are expected to provide some continuity in the new coaching ticket having operated as senior coaches under Craig.
Hinch's new head coach, who also steered Ulster to IRFU Junior Men's Interprovincial Championship glory in 2024, sees some parallels between south Antrim outfit Ballyclare and Ballynahinch.
"I'm off the back of an 11-year stint at Ballyclare Rugby Club, married with 13 years at Ballyclare High School, so a lot of schoolkids leaving, becoming men, playing at the club for me.
"It's been a lot of familiar faces for a very long time. We've had a very high run of success, let's say, winning trophies over the years.
"But ultimately it's about looking at the connection that we built through a community at a country club, and that's very similiar to Ballynahinch," he added.