Gordon State College Names Huff Interim Head Baseball Coach
By: Brittany A. Tennant, Communications Specialist
Gordon State College named former Assistant Baseball Coach Justin Huff as Interim Head Baseball Coach. Entering his fourth season with the Highlanders, Huff will transition to Interim Head Coach in 2020.
Huff said he was thankful for the trust GSC President Kirk Nooks, Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs Dr. John Head, and Athletic Director Gary Sharpe placed in him for the task.
“We are excited to have Coach Huff step in as our interim head coach,” Head said. “He has been an integral part of our program and we are confident that our team will have continued success under his leadership.”
Huff said, “I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity to lead the baseball program at Gordon State,” Huff said. “Becoming a collegiate head baseball coach has been a dream of mine since I finished my playing career.
“My gratitude goes out to the former head baseball coach Travis McClanahan for further developing and empowering me as a baseball coach,” Huff added. “Lastly, I want my players to know that their resilience in the face of adversity and their maturity while we navigate through these changes has not gone unnoticed. I look forward to seeing what this great team can accomplish together.”
As the assistant coach and a recruiter with Gordon State for the previous three years, Huff coordinated the offense and worked with infielders. Huff helped guide the 2019 Gordon State baseball team to a 50-9 regular season record which included a Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association (GCAA) Regular Season Championship, GCAA Tournament Championship, and a No. 2 national ranking. The most wins in school history helped the program achieve its highest-ever national ranking. Eight Highlanders were recognized as All-Conference players.
The offense that Huff was charged with leading ranked top ten nationally in seven key categories including runs, hits, RBIs, walks, stolen bases, batting average, and on-base percentage. Two years after arriving on campus as a walk-on, centerfielder Jason Fointno stole 41 bases and finished his Highlander career as an Honorable Mention All-American. Sophomore pitcher Adam Leverett was selected in the 15th round of the 2019 MLB Draft by the Philadelphia Phillies.
Before arriving at Gordon State, Huff spent the 2016 season as an assistant baseball coach and head middle school coach at Tattnall Square Academy under Head Coach Joey Hiller. The Trojans won the
2016 Georgia High School Association (GHSA) Class A Private State Championship and a middle school league championship.
Huff began his collegiate coaching career at Darton State College from 2011-2015. Under Head Coach Scot Hemmings, Huff served as the recruiting coordinator in addition to coaching infielders, catchers, base running, and assisting with hitters. The Cavaliers owned a 169-68 record during Huff’s time as recruiting coordinator and won their first ever GCAA Championship in 2015.
In total, 81 players coached by Huff have moved directly on to play four-year college or professional baseball on various levels.
Before coming back to one of Huff’s Alma Mater’s Darton College, Huff had begun a career in business. During that time, he also served as the junior varsity head coach at Deerfield-Windsor School and as an assistant for a local American Legion squad.
As a player at Darton College for the 2004-05 seasons, Huff was a 2005 All-GJCAA shortstop for Coach Glenn Eames. He was voted by his teammates as team captain for the Cavalier squad that had previously set the record for the most wins in school history. He set three individual records at the college including single season total at-bats, base-on-balls, and hit-by-pitch. After graduating from Darton, he spent his junior year at Division I power Coastal Carolina under Gary Gilmore. For his senior season, he transferred to Valdosta State and received Academic All-Gulf South Conference honors as the Blazer shortstop in 2007. He led the Blazers in hits, runs, and stolen bases. After his collegiate career, he had a brief professional career in 2007 playing in the South Coast League. Huff was a middle infielder for Phil Plantier’s Macon Music team that won the second half league championship.
The Albany, Ga., native and Westover High School graduate earned his Associate of Business Administration degree from Darton College and his Bachelor of Business Administration from Valdosta State University. In 2010, he completed his Master of Business Administration degree from Kennesaw State University. Huff married the former Jenna McWilliams in October of 2011. They have four daughters, Devon, Canon, Fallon and Lennon.