Co-Lin’s Young reaches milestone

Co-Lin President Dr. Ronnie Nettles (left) presents women’s head coach and athletic director Gwyn Young with a plaque and ball signed by the Lady Wolves commemorating his 700th career coaching win.

WESSON – Copiah-Lincoln Community College Women’s Head Basketball Coach Gywn Young was recently recognized at a ceremony as he reached another milestone in his illustrious coaching career, 700 career wins. The win came in a thrilling 81-80 overtime victory over the Northeast Mississippi Lady Tigers on Dec. 13, 2008.  Young is currently the National Junior College Athletic Association’s (NJCAA) Second Winningest Active Coach in the nation and the Winningest Women’s Coach in the Mississippi Association of Community/ Junior Colleges.

Young has been head coach of the Lady Wolves basketball team for 32 years. He has served as the college’s athletic director since 1989. Since coming to Co-Lin, he has seen his team win title after title and has compiled a record (to date) of 706 wins and 217 losses.

Young has put the Lady Wolves on the map as one of the nation’s most premier women’s basketball teams. Under Coach Young’s direction, the Lady Wolves have accomplished numerous awards including 19 MACJC Regular Season First place finishes, 13 MACJC South Division Championships, 18 MACJC State Tournament Appearances, five MACJC State Championships (1993, 1997, 1999, 2002 and 2003) and been runner-up to the MACJC State Champions five times (1983, 1984, 1998, 2006 and 2007). The Lady Wolves have won five NJCAA Region 23 Championships (1989, 1993, 1997, 2002, and 2007), been runners-up to the NJCAA Region 23 Champions seven times (1990, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2004 and 2006), and made five NJCAA National Tournament appearances (1989, 1993, 1997, 2002, and 2007). Young’s team finished sixth in the 2007 National Tournament, fourth in the 1989 National Tournament, and has been consistently ranked each year by the NJCAA polls.

Young has been honored as Region 23 Coach of the Year in 1989, 1993, 1997, 2002 and 2007 and MACJC and MAC Coach of the Year in 1993, 2001 and 2007. The Clarion-Ledger has also recognized him as Coach of the Year for Junior Colleges on numerous occasions.

A graduate of Copiah-Lincoln where he was a standout for the Wolves basketball team, Young was inducted into the college’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 1997. After graduating from Co-Lin, he attended Mississippi College where he was team MVP and a team captain. Young received his bachelor’s degree from Mississippi College and master’s degree from the University of Southern Mississippi.  

He is married to the former Velesta Smith. They have two grown children, Lane and Jessica, and three grandchildren, Justin, Mary Gwyn and Mailey Kate.