Hattiesburg Public Schools has announced the appointment of Kendall Lacey as the new head football coach.
Lacey brings a wealth of experience, a proven track record of success, and a passion for developing student-athletes both on and off the field to the Tigers program. Lacey is an experienced educator and coach with a passion for developing student-athletes. Coach Lacey has dedicated his life to education, coaching, and mentorship.
Born and raised in Wetumpka, Ala., with a passion for sports and leadership, after graduation from Wetumpka High School, he pursued higher education and athletics at Shorter University, earning a degree in sports management and being named a permanent team captain in 2014. Lacey continued with a Master’s in secondary education from the University of North Alabama, and he will earn an education specialist degree in teaching and leading from Northern Kentucky University in the spring of 2025.
Lacey's coaching experience spans multiple high schools and universities, including Valdosta High School, Benjamin Russell High School, Dothan High School, Jefferson Davis High School, Prattville High School, Waldorf University and Shorter University. He has served in various roles, such as defensive coordinator, assistant head coach, strength and conditioning coordinator and defensive backs coach. He has also succeeded as a head track coach and soccer coach.
Lacey has a proven track record of leading successful teams, having won a GHSA 6A State Championship in 2016, winning multiple region championships, developing numerous All-Region and All-State players, and helping over 30 student-athletes achieve their goal of playing collegiate football. While at Valdosta, Lacey was a part of the program’s 900th and 950th win, as they became the first football program in America to do so.
Beyond education and coaching, Lacey is an active member of various professional organizations, including the National Interscholastic Association of Athletic Administrators (NIAAA), Minority Coaches Association of both Georgia and Alabama, the Shorter University Athletic Alumni Board, and the Alabama Football Coaches Association. He also serves as a deacon at Goodship Missionary Baptist Church.
