New Head Basketball Coach Appointed at Gulf Coast College

Gulf Coast College in Panama City, Florida has recently announced the appointment of a new head coach for the men’s basketball team. In response to the departure of former head coach Phil Gaffney, the college’s Athletic Director, Mike Kandler, officially confirmed in an email on Wednesday morning that Lane Below will assume the position as the new head coach.

Coach Below is joining Gulf Coast College from Chipola College, where he has served as an assistant coach for the past three seasons. During his time at Chipola, the team achieved significant success, including consecutive league titles, a state title, and three national tournament appearances under the leadership of head coach Donnie Tyndall.

Prior to his role at Chipola, Coach Below gained experience as an assistant at Mississippi Gulf Coast, where he worked under the guidance of Juco Hall of Famer Tim Ryan. Hailing from Missouri, Coach Below has a background in playing Juco basketball in his home state before moving on to play for two years in the SEC at Ole Miss.

Coach Below’s appointment follows the departure of Phil Gaffney from the program several weeks ago. An official introduction for the new coach is scheduled by the college on Monday afternoon, providing the Gulf Coast community with the opportunity to extend a warm welcome to Coach Below in his new role.

This development marks a new chapter for the Gulf Coast men’s basketball program, and the college community looks forward to witnessing how Coach Below will lead the team in the upcoming seasons.