By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

GULFPORT — Gulfport High alum Myles Gentry is the new head coach of the Admirals baseball team.
Gentry, a 2012 GHS grad, was, approved at the monthly meeting of the Gulfport School Board late Monday afternoon. He comes back home to his alma mater from Samford University in Birmingham, Ala., where he served the past few seasons as the Director of Player Development for the Bulldogs under head coach Tony David.
Gentry becomes the first GHS alumnus to lead the baseball team in at least 60 years, in the “modern day” era, since integration in 1970.

“I’m humbled and excited to return to my alma mater as the head baseball coach,” Gentry said, in a statement Monday night. “It is an honor to have the opportunity to lead the program. My time at Gulfport High School played a huge role in my life, and it’s an honor to now have the opportunity to lead the baseball program.”
Gentry emerged from a final list of four candidates for the open post. He, recent acting GHS head coach Kelly Weems, Pascagoula High head coach Colton Caver and Brandon High assistant coach Ze’Erika McQueen were the final four that emerged after interviews with a search committee, according to sources close to the situation.
But Gentry, whose candidacy was first reported immediately by SouthMiss6 Sports once the job came open last month, gained much momentum in certain circles as the search process continued.

Gentry arrived at Samford two years ago from Jones Junior College where he spent two stints on staff with the Bobcats from 2021-2023 and 2017-2019.
In his most recent tenure from 2021-2023, Gentry served as the team pitching coach. From 2017-2019 Gentry served as an assistant coach, working primarily with the pitchers and infielders.
In between his first and second stints in Ellisville, Gentry worked as the pitching coach at Desoto Central High School, which marks his only other experience on the prep baseball coaching level.

After his playing days with the Admirals, Gentry played collegiate baseball at Mississippi State University from 2012-17, including the 2013 season that saw the Bulldogs finish national runner-up to UCLA in the College World Series. That season, he compiled a 4-1 with a 3.69 ERA in 31.2 innings.
He appeared in 48 career games for MSU from 2013-15.
Gentry earned his Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from Mississippi State in May of 2017, with an emphasis in Sports Studies and Communication. He received his Master of Science in Sports Administration from Arkansas State University in May 0f 2023.