Trojan Baseball Coaching Staff

Lee Boyd: Head Coach 

 

email-lee.boyd@lowndes.k12.ms.us 

twitter- @BoydLNHBB

Lee Boyd begins his 20^th season overall and is returning for his 16^th season as the head coach of the Trojans. 

Boyd has been named MHSAA Coach of the Year 3 times. (2013, 2014, 2019)   In 2014, the MAC (Mississippi Association of Coaches) named Boyd the state’s baseball coach of the year and the NFHS (National Federation of State High School Associations) also named him Mississippi’s Baseball Coach of the year. Following a state runner-up finish in 2018 and a state championship in 2019, Boyd was named the NEMCABB Class 4A Coach of the year in back to back seasons. Following the 2019 season Boyd was voted "Among the Best Coaches" in the Commerical Dispatch's readers choice poll.  Boyd has been selected to coach the MHSAA all-star game in 2014 and the NEMCABB all-star game in 2017. 

In his 15 seasons at New Hope, Boyd has a career record of 346-128 and has thirteen 20 win seasons.  He has seen 54 of his players sign to play college baseball.  Currently, the program has 9 players on college rosters.  Boyd has led the Trojans to the North State Championship Series (Final 4) 8 times and won 4 of those series to advance to the State Championship.   Under Boyd, the Trojans have won 3 state titles (13,14,19) and have been nationally ranked three times. (14,15,19)

The Trojans have also had recent success on the diamond. Last season Boyd led the Trojans to a 23-12 record and finished the season as the Class 5A North State runner-up. The 2023 Trojans finished with a 22-9 record and a second round playoff appearance. Prepbaseballreport.com had the Trojans finishing the season ranked 24th in the state.

In 2022, Boyd led the Trojans to a 26-6 record, the school's 28th division championship, and a 3rd round playoff appearance. The Clarion Ledger ranked NH as high as 9th in the super 10, PBR Mississippi had NH ranked as high as 14th, and SB Live had NH as high as #6.  NH had 5 seniors get an opportunity to play college baseball from the 2022 class.

In 2013 and 2014, Boyd led the Trojans to back to back state championships for the 1st time in school history. The 2013 team won the state championship against defending champion Pascagoula in 3 games to finish the season at 27-9 and ranked #12 by the Clarion Ledger.  It was the first title for the Trojans in 10 seasons.  The 2014 team won the division and made its way back to North State and defeated rival Oxford to advance to the state championship.  The Trojans were matched up against South State Winner West Jones and won a hard-fought series in 3 games to win the state championship. The 2014 team jumped back in the national polls for the 1^st time since 2005 at #20 by Baseball America.  

Under Boyd, NH finished as the state runner up in 2018 and state champions in 2019. The 2018 team won the division and was crowned the class 4A North State Champion.  NH made its way back to Jackson to compete in the state championship vs Vancleave.  The Trojans ended up losing the series to finish as the Class 4A State Runner up. NH had a final record of 29-7 and ranked #13 in the state by prepbaseballreport.com.  The 2019 team won the division for the 2nd straight season and finished the playoffs with a perfect 10-0 record.  NH defeated Sumrall at Trustmark Park to win the school's 8th state championship. The 2019 team finished the season at 27-5 and ranked #4 in the state by maxpreps.com, #6 in the state by mississippigridiron.com, and #24 nationally by maxprep.com's medium school poll. 

Before taking over the New Hope program in the fall of 2009, Boyd was an assistant under head coach Brian Jones at Neshoba Central High School in Philadelphia, MS from 2007-2009. Before joining the staff at Neshoba, Boyd was an assistant under head coach Jeff Cook at Columbus High School.  His first coaching experience came during a one year stop as the head coach at Immanuel (Columbus Christian School) in Columbus.

A native of Columbus, Boyd attended high school at New Hope and was a three-year starter for the Trojans.  During his three years as a starter, the Trojans collected three district championships, a North State runner-up finish, and a North State championship.

After graduation Coach Boyd began his collegiate career by signing with East Mississippi Community College. During his freshman campaign, he was named second team All-Region. After two seasons at EMCC, Boyd signed with the University of West Alabama.  As a junior, he was named second team All Gulf South Conference after going 6-1 with two saves in 23 appearances out of the Tiger bullpen. During his senior campaign, he was named preseason All GSC.  He finished his college career by going 5-1 with two saves and helped the Tigers finish with a 45-19 record, which is currently the most wins in the program’s history.  The 2005 Tigers also won the GSC title and earned a birth in the NCAA Div II Regional. Boyd finished his two year UWA career with an 11-2 record which is good for 2^ndall time at UWA in career winning percentage.

Boyd earned a Bachelor’s degree in History Education from UWA in 2005, a Master’s degree in Physical Education from UWA in 2008, and a Specialist degree in Educational Leadership from Arkansas State University in 2020.    Boyd, 41, and his wife Allison have been married since June of 2006. They have 2 children, daughter Audrey (14) and son Brady (11).  They both attend New Hope.

Boyd Year by Year 

Overall 346-128

Division 92-33 (6 Division Titles)

Playoffs 76-28 (4-time North State Runner up, 4 North State Championships, 3 State Championships)

 

Year         Record       Result

2024          23-12        Class 5A North State Runner-up

2023          22-9          2nd Round of playoffs

2022          26-6          District Champions, 3rd round of playoffs

2021          17-14        2nd Round of playoffs

2020          5-3            Season cut short due to Covid-19

2019          27-5          District Champions, Class 4A North State Champions, Class 4A State Champions

2018          29-7           District Champions, Class 4A North State Champions, Class 4A State Runner up 

2017          21-14        Class 5A North State Runner-up                                                                                                                         

 2016          20-12        3^rd round of playoffs

2015          25-7          Class 5A North State Runner-up                                     

2014          32-4           District Champions, Class 5A North State Champions, Class 5A State Champions                                                  

2013          27-9           Class 5A North State Champions, Class 5A State Champions                                       

2012          25-9           District Champions, Class 5A North State Runner-up                                                                                             

 2011          24-9           3^rd round of playoffs                                                                                                                                                    

2010          23-8           District Champions, 2^nd round of playoffs

 

 

Rankings by Season

2024 #4 in class 5A by capitalsportsms.com

2023 #24 by prepbaseballreport.com

2022 #14 by MS PBR, #18 by Maxpreps.com, #4 in class 5A by capitalsportsms.com

2019 #4 by Maxpreps.com. #6 by mississippigridiron.com, #24 Nationally by Maxpreps.com Medium School Poll

2018 #12 by Maxpreps.com, #13 by Prepbaseballreport.com

2017 #23 by Maxpreps.com

2016 #19 by Maxpreps.com

2015 #7 by Maxpreps.com, #20 Nationally by Maxpreps.com Medium School Poll

2014 #2 by Maxpreps.com, #4 by Clarion-Ledger, #20 Nationally by Baseball America

2013 #12 by Maxpreps.com, #12 by Clarion-Ledger

2012 #18 by Maxpreps.com, #11 by Clarion-Ledger

2011 #20 by Maxpreps.com

2010 # 22 by Maxpreps.com                             

                                    

                                    

 

Tyler Neal: Assistant JV/V Coach- Pitching

Email- tyler.neal@lowndes.k12.ms.us

Tyler Neal is entering his 9th season with the New Hope Baseball Program. He spent the 2016 season on staff at Long Beach High School.  Neal was a volunteer student assistant on the 2015 staff.  Before transitioning to varsity assistant coach, Coach Neal ran the junior high program for four seasons.   His main responsibilities will be to coach pitchers and outfielders. Coach Neal graduated in 2009 from Edinburg High School where he was a 4-year starter.  After graduation, Neal signed with East Central Community College to continue his baseball career.  After finishing at ECCC, Neal went on the Mississippi State University and graduated in 2015 with a bachelor's degree in kinesiology.  Coach Neal, 33, teaches at the career technology center and his wife Keeton is a teacher at New Hope High School.  They have two daughters, Evie Kate (6) and Hallie (3). 

 

Mickey Allen: Assistant JV/V Coach- Hitting

Email- mickey.allen@lowndes.k12.ms.us

Mickey Allen is entering his 4th year on staff with the New Hope baseball team. His primary responsibilities will be to coach the JV/V hitters.  Coach Allen spent 4 years as the head coach at Columbus High School, and 5 years as an assistant coach at Heritage Academy. Allen is a 2005 graduate of New Hope High School, where he was a member of the 2003 State Championship team. After graduation, Allen played baseball for 2 years at Northeast Mississippi Community College. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in History from the University of Alabama, and a Master’s Degree in Education from Mississippi State University. Allen, 38, is the proud father of Stella Kate Allen (10).

 

 Joel Robertson: Volunteer Assistant JV/V Coach

Joel Robertson is entering his 10th season as an assistant coach.  Coach Robertson will assist with the JV/Varsity.  Prior to joining the staff at NH, Coach Robertson was as assistant coach at Winona High School for 8 seasons.  He is a 1995 graduate of Winona High School.  He is a 2008 graduate of Mississippi State University with a Bachelor's Degree in PE/Health.  Joel's wife Rachel is a teacher at NHHS.  They have six children, Chandler (26) Grace (21) Ndy (19)  Huntley (17) Emma (16) and Nolan (13). 

 

 

Adam Minichino: 9th grade Coach

Originally from Hamden, Connecticut, Adam Minichino, the son of Jill and Anthony, spent nearly 27 years as a sports writer / editor at newspapers in Connecticut, Georgia, Florida and Mississippi. He now works for the Lowndes County School District in Communications as the Public Information Officer for the district. Throughout the years, Adam has stayed involved in sports by umpiring youth, travel, high school and college baseball. He also spent 10 years as a youth soccer / baseball coach, first in the Columbus-Lowndes Recreation Authority and then in travel baseball organizations like Possum Town Sluggers, Swing Elite, Next Level and 5 Star. Adam has been married to Amanda (Guth) Minichino for more than 17 years, and both parents are proud of their son, Austin, for his hard work in the classroom and in athletics. Adam and Amanda also are the proud parents of four other "children": Jake, Sadie, Lucy and Sugar.

Go Trojans!

Carson Forrester: Volunteer Assistant 9th grade Coach

Email- carson.forrester@lowndes.k12.ms.us

Carson Forrester is entering his 3rd season with the New Hope Baseball Program. His main responsibilities will be to assist the 9th grade program. Coach Forrester is a 2017 graduate of New Hope High School. After graduation, Coach Forrester played baseball for two years at Mississippi Delta Community College. He then went on to get his Bachelor’s Degree in Kinesiology at Mississippi University for Women. Carson’s wife, Kelsie, is a RN at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Columbus. They are expecting their first child in May.

 

Brady Jones: Junior High Coach

Email- brady.jones@lowndes.k12.ms.us

Brady Jones is entering his 4th season with the New Hope Baseball Program. His main responsibilities will be to run the Junior High Baseball Program (7th/8th). Coach Jones is a graduate of Nanih Waiya Attendance Center, where he was a part of two state championship winning teams. He went on to play baseball at Blue Mountain College for two years before transferring to Mississippi University for Women where he competed in the USCAA World Series and earned a Bachelor’s of Science. He and his wife, Mattie, have a daughter, Selah Grey, who turned 2 in November.

 

Tyler Murphy: Assistant Junior High Coach

Email: Austin.Murphy@lowndes.k12.ms.us

Tyler Murphy enters his first season as an assistant coach at NH. He will assist with the junior high and high school programs. Tyler is a 2019 New Hope High School graduate where he played baseball and football.  He played a large role in helping NH capture the 2019 state championship. After high school, he attended Itawamba Community College and played baseball there for 2 years. After his baseball career, he attended Mississippi State University where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology. Tyler coaches football, baseball, and teaches at NHMS. This is his first full year as a teacher and coach.