If years are like innings in a baseball game, Southwest Mississippi Community College assistant baseball coach Ken Jackson has just been handed the ball in the top of the seventh and will now take over the game.
Jackson, who has been an assistant coach with the men’s baseball team for the past six years, will take over head coaching duties for current coach Lee Kuyrkenhall. Jackson will start his new position Sept. 1.
Kuyrkendall moved to Dallas to be closer to family.
Before coaching ball at the college level, Jackson was head coach of the Parklane Academy Pioneers.
Jackson won 491 games with the team for a 65 percent winning percentage. Under Jackson, the Pioneers brought home two MAIS state championship titles.
As an athlete, Jackson played baseball and football for SMCC.
Jackson holds a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction and earned his bachelor’s degree in coaching and sports administration form Southern Miss.
He has 30 years of collective coaching experience.
Also Tuesday, the board hired Justin Hay as its new assistant coach for the men’s baseball team. Hay is a former SMCC student and has been an assistant coach with five different teams. Hay will start his new job Sept. 1.
SMCC has a new assistant basketball coach to work with head coach Thomas Gray, who was hired in June by the college. Andrew Farrell previously worked at Clemson, Depaul and Virginia Commonwealth Universities. Farrell started his new position Wednesday.
