Ripley High School announced the hiring of Joel Gafford as the Tigers' new head baseball coach.  Gafford is an assistant for the BNA Bank CSBL Tippah  County Tribe. 

Gafford, a 2003 graduate of New Albany High School, was a four year prep letterman in baseball.  After high school, Gafford played two years at Northeast Mississippi Community College where he was named All-State and All-Region after his sophomore season.  Gafford continued his playing career at SWAC powerhouse Mississippi Valley State where he played as an outfielder and a pitcher.

Coach Gafford is in his second season coaching in the BNA Bank Cotton States League and served one year as an assistant at New Albany High School.