Ladd Taylor new MGCCC athletic director

Rich Kopp/MGCCC

MGCCC Athletic Director Ladd Taylor.

Ladd Taylor attended Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College and played football for the Bulldogs, and he’s worked at Gulf Coast’s Perkinston Campus since 2002. With that in mind, it’s only natural that Taylor takes over as the college’s new athletic director. He replaces longtime Gulf Coast athletic director Chris Calcote, who retired after 12 years on the job. Before becoming Gulf Coast's athletic director, Calcote served as offensive line coach for the Bulldogs.

“I played football at Gulf Coast from 1993-94 under head coach J.C. Arban, and it was a great experience for me,” Taylor said. “That’s where the sense of pride for Gulf Coast was established. Every time I go to a Gulf Coast athletic event, that sense of pride is always there.”

Taylor’s held several different positions while at Gulf Coast, including student activities supervisor (2002-2006), Hayden Hall dormitory supervisor (2003-07), and Perk Campus director of Admissions and Records. Now his goal is to help Gulf Coast stay among the elite community college athletic programs in the nation.

“We’re hoping to break ground on our new baseball/softball complex this fall,” he said. “It’s going to be a state-of-the-art facility, one that is accommodating to fans and players alike. We’re also exploring the possibility of adding field turf at A.L. May Memorial Stadium. When you look at recruiting, we need to upgrade our facilities in order to bring the best student-athletes to Gulf Coast.”

The Bulldog football team is coming off a 2007 season which featured a 12-0 record, an NJCAA national title and the team’s first MACJC state title since 1986. Gulf Coast’s baseball, softball, golf, tennis, men’s basketball and soccer teams all made it to the post-season in 2007-08.