ITTA BENA, Miss. – The Mississippi Valley State University baseball program has found its new coach as Milton Barney Jr. becomes the seventh head coach in the 66-year history of the program.

The Gulfport, Mississippi native's coaching career has played a part in many championships, winning a SWAC Championship as an Assistant at Alcorn in 2011, bringing Harrison Central High School softball to the Mississippi State High School Finals, and overseeing his 8–10-year-old youth organization that he runs win five World Series' during his tenure.

Barney Jr. has a rich bloodline of success except most of it was on the gridiron as his father, Milton "Slick" Barney Sr., starred at Alcorn before spending a season with the Atlanta Falcons as a wide receiver in 1987 before reappearing in the Arena Football League in 1991 where he was named AFL Ironman of the Year and First Team All-Arena for the New Orleans Night.

His grandfather is HBCU legend and NFL Hall of Famer Lem Barney, who spent ten seasons with the Detroit Lions en route to seven pro bowls, 56 interceptions and ten defensive touchdowns after spending his collegiate years at JSU.

Coach Barney did not play football but played three years (2008-2010) on the diamond for Grambling State, producing a .310 batting average with 114 hits, 96 runs, 61 walks, 55 RBIs, 30 doubles, 27 steals, and five homers over 108 ballgames while capping off his senior season with Grambling State's first baseball championship in 25 seasons (2010). He also played on the 2005 state finalist Gulfport High school baseball team.

About the SWAC
The Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) is considered one of the premier HBCU conferences in the country and currently ranks among the elite in the nation in terms of HBCU alumni playing with professional sports teams.
 
Current championship competition offered by the league includes competition for men in Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Football, Golf, Indoor Track and Field, Outdoor Track and Field and Tennis.

Women’s competition is offered in the sports of Basketball, Bowling, Cross Country, Golf, Indoor Track and Field, Outdoor Track and Field, Soccer, Softball, Tennis and Volleyball.
 
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