Hattiesburg High School has a replacement for recently retired head football coach Tony Vance, who led the Tigers for the past 12 seasons.
Kendall Lacey was announced as the program’s new leader by the Hattiesburg Public School District on Tuesday. Lacey comes to the Hub City after most recently serving as defensive coordinator at Valdosta High School in Georgia.
“HPS is excited to welcome Kendall Lacey as the new head football coach for the Tigers! With a strong background in coaching and mentoring, Coach Lacey’s passion for education, leadership, and player development will bring a new era of excellence to HHS football,” a social media post from the district reads.
HPS is excited to welcome Kendall Lacey as the new head football coach for the Tigers!
With a strong background in coaching and mentoring, Coach Lacey’s passion for education, leadership, and player development will bring a new era of excellence to HHS football! pic.twitter.com/kV79x6FFVo
— Hattiesburg Public School District (@HPSD) February 12, 2025
Lacey followed up the district’s announcement with a social media post that said, “I am excited and honored to be the next Head Football Coach at Hattiesburg High School. I have prayed for this moment and am thankful to have this opportunity. Go Tigers!!”
I am excited and honored to be the next Head Football Coach at Hattiesburg High School. I have prayed for this moment and I am thankful to have this opportunity. Go Tigers!! pic.twitter.com/PrHMnqKa9u
— Coach Kendall Lacey (@CoachKLacey) February 12, 2025
At Valdosta, Lacey was part of the 2016 team that won the Georgia High School Association Class 6A title. He’s also had coaching stops at four other high schools – Benjamin Russell, Dothan, Jefferson Davis, and Prattville – and two universities, Waldorf and Shorter.
His résumé includes serving as defensive coordinator, assistant head coach, strength and conditioning coordinator, and defensive backs coach.
A dual-sport athlete at Shorter, playing for both the football and baseball teams, Lacey was a star on the gridiron. During his senior season, he led the Hawks with two interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown, while adding 32 tackles and a forced fumble. He was also named a permanent team captain.
Lacey, a native of Alabama, went on to attain a master’s degree in secondary education from the University of North Alabama and is on track to earn an education specialist degree in teaching and leading from Northern Kentucky University this spring.
He takes over a program that has seen plenty of success in recent years, including three state championship appearances over the past decade, but has not been able to bring the gold ball back to Hattiesburg since 1924. This past fall, which served as the centennial anniversary of the school’s only crown, the Tigers went 13-1 before falling in the title game to Grenada High School.
