Valdosta’s Brad Porter became the fourth Georgia coach to reach 500 career victories last week in the Wildcats’ 4-3 victory over North Paulding.
Other coaches surpassing 500 this season have been Parkview’s Chan Brown, Mill Creek’s Doug Jones and Marist’s Mike Strickland.
According to the Georgia Dugout Club, only 39 coaches in state history have reached 500.
Here’s a look at the most recent four:
*Porter, in his 22nd season at Valdosta, is 501-242 all-time. He’s also been a coach at Atkinson County, Coffee, Madison County in Florida and Tiftarea Academy. He’s a former Braves and Reds associate scout.
*Jones got his 500th victory March 16 in a 4-1 win over Brookwood, where he coached for six seasons before starting Mill Creek’s program in 2004-05. Jones, a 2018 Georgia Dugout Club Hall of Fame inductee, led Brookwood to a state runner-up finish in 1999 and Mill Creek to the finals in 2018. His career record is 509-258.
*Brown also got his 500th against Brookwood in a 10-0 victory March 25. He coached at Elbert County and Northwest Whitfield before becoming Parkview’s head coach in 2005. Parkview has won six state titles under Brown, including the past three in the highest classification. His 2015 and 2018 teams were named national champions. Brown’s career record is 507-165.
*Strickland became Marist’s coach for the 2006 season. He’d coached at South Forsyth the eight seasons prior. He was inducted into the Georgia Dugout Club Hall of Fame in 2020. Under Strickland, Marist has won state titles in 2010, 2011, 2017 and 2021. He got his 500th victory in March and stands at 511-255-10.
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