POPLARVILLE, Miss. — Pearl River Community College has turned to one of Mississippi's most accomplished and proven winners to lead its nationally renowned softball program, naming five-time MHSAA State Champion Jake Loper as its fourth coach in program history. Director of Athletics Michael Avalon announced the addition Thursday.
"We're excited to welcome Coach Loper to Pearl River. He is a proven winner with a track record of success and a passion for developing student-athletes," Avalon said. "His strong relationships with high school and college coaches throughout the region, along with the respect he has earned in the softball community, make him an outstanding fit for our program.
"More importantly, Coach Loper is a family man who understands that our responsibility goes far beyond wins and losses. He is committed to helping our student-athletes grow physically, academically and spiritually while preparing them for success in every area of life. Following a National Championship season, it was important to find the right leader to continue the culture and standard of excellence that have been established here. Coach Loper is the perfect person to lead our softball program forward, and we are excited about the future under his leadership."
Loper arrives in Poplarville ready to embrace the high expectations of a program fresh off its first-ever NJCAA Division II National Championship. He succeeds Christie Meeks, who recently accepted the associate head coach position at South Alabama after seven seasons guiding the Wildcats.
"I am excited to compete at a higher level," Loper said. "It has always been a goal of mine to coach at this level. It's surreal and incredibly special that I get to start at a place that just won a National Championship.
"I love a challenge, and that's why I am here. I think everyone's goal should be to go somewhere you have a chance to compete for a National Championship. We don't see any reason for us to take a step back. We plan to compete for a national title."
COACHING STYLE
Loper wasted no time transitioning to his new role, hitting the ground running the moment he accepted the job.
"We're going to try to outwork people," Loper said. "As soon as I got the call, I went to work. We packed our bags and got down here immediately because we've got a lot to do. We plan on winning immediately and we need to get the ball rolling."
When Wildcat fans watch Loper's teams on the field, they can expect high-energy, fundamentally sound softball. He prides himself in his defense, but his high school background makes him well-rounded as a coach.
"I'd describe myself as very passionate — fiery would fit that description, too," Loper said. "We're going to coach them hard and love them harder. We are going to do things with class, high character and integrity. We want to be known for playing extremely hard and winning a lot.
"Our players can expect a coach that holds them accountable, sets high expectations and accepts nothing but their absolute best."
CHAMPIONSHIP PEDIGREE
A Sebastopol native, Loper arrives in Poplarville after leading one of Mississippi's premier high school softball programs at West Lauderdale. Over four seasons leading the Knights, Loper compiled an incredible 118-30 record, winning the MHSAA Class 4A State Championship in 2023, 2024 and 2026. His 2026 squad finished 34-4, following a 35-4 campaign in 2024 and a 29-8 run in 2023.
Prior to his tenure at West Lauderdale, Loper served as the head softball coach at Lake from 2019-22. During his time with the Hornets, he compiled a 61-21 fast-pitch record, captured the 2021 MHSAA Class 2A State Championship and finished as the 2022 Class 2A State Runner-up. He was the Mississippi Association of Coaches Coach of the Year in 2022.
Loper also led Lake to the 2019 Class I Slow-Pitch State Championship with a 32-3 record. Overall, he owns a stellar 179-51 career fast-pitch coaching record, capturing four State Championships in seven seasons across two classifications.
"Being at the high school level, I have really strong connections across Mississippi and know the players here incredibly well," Loper said. "We are absolutely going to recruit Mississippi first. We will keep the best local talent home, add some key out-of-state pieces and put a blue-collar highly competitive product on the field."
FAMILY AND FAITH
For Loper, the decision to move his family to Poplarville was heavily influenced by the community's values and emphasis on faith.
"Without God, I wouldn't be where I am today," he said. "We want to win softball games, but the bigger goal is preparing these athletes for when the game eventually ends. The values they learn here will take them much further in life than softball ever could."
Loper and his wife, Taylor, have three children: Kynzee, Kylan and Krew.
"I get a lot of the credit, but my wife deserves so much of it," he said. "During the season, she is practically a single parent because this job requires so many hours. After my interview, she felt so good about Pearl River that she was already packing. By the time I finished my meeting with my previous team to let them know where I was going, she had the car loaded and ready to go. She never hesitated, and I can't thank her enough."
Loper earned his Bachelor's Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from Mississippi State and complete his Master of Education in Educational Leadership from Mississippi College in 2022.
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