Press Release

Friday, May 22, 2026

JACKSON, TN — Jackson-Madison County Schools has announced the promotion of Michael Gaines to head coach of the Lady Crusaders basketball program at Liberty Technology High School, elevating the longtime assistant and respected West Tennessee coach to lead one of the district’s rising girls basketball teams.

Gaines has served as an assistant coach with the Liberty girls basketball program for the past six seasons and brings more than 13 years of high school coaching experience overall. Throughout his career, he has coached both boys and girls basketball, including previous stops at Milan High School and Crockett County High School before joining the Crusaders staff.

Above photo: A familiar face on the sidelines, Coach Gaines has been a steady presence within Liberty athletics, serving on the boys basketball coaching staff while also contributing to the recent success of both the boys and girls programs.

A standout player before entering coaching, Gaines remains the all-time leading scorer at Boyd-Buchanan School after scoring more than 2,500 career points. He was later inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame in recognition of his accomplishments.

Gaines continued his playing career at Freed-Hardeman University, where he became the school’s all-time leading scorer and rebounder. A four-time TranSouth All-Conference selection, Gaines earned NAIA All-American honors twice, in 1994 and 1998. During the 1997-98 season, he helped lead Freed-Hardeman to a 24-11 record, an appearance in the NAIA National Tournament, and a final national ranking of No. 18. He is also a member of the Freed-Hardeman University Hall of Fame.

Above photo: Members of the Lady Crusaders basketball team, who helped lead Liberty to its first winning season in more than a decade, stand as the foundation of a program on the rise. With continued development of its young talent, the Lady Crusaders are positioned to be a competitive force in District 13-AA

Gaines now takes over a Liberty program coming off its most successful season in more than a decade. The Lady Crusaders finished the 2025-26 season with a 15-9 record and a third-place finish in District 13-AA, securing the program’s first winning season since 2015.

“Coach Gaines has spent years investing in student-athletes and helping build a strong culture within the Liberty girls basketball program,” said Superintendent Dr. Marlon King. “He understands what it takes to develop young people both on and off the court, and we are excited to see him lead this program into its next chapter.”

As head coach, Gaines said his focus will be on building upon the strong foundation already established within the program and continuing the momentum created by the team’s talented returning core.

Above photo: The Lady Crusaders showed early-season strength, winning 8 of their first 12 games to open the 2025–2026 season, and carried that momentum into a postseason run that ended in the Region 7AA quarterfinals.

Liberty’s recent success has helped re-energize the girls basketball program, and school leaders believe Gaines’ experience, relationships, and knowledge of the game position him well to continue that upward trajectory.

“Coach Gaines brings experience, passion, and a deep understanding of the game to this position,” Deputy Superintendent Dr. Ricky Catlett said. “He has already played an important role in the recent growth of the girls basketball program, and we believe he is the right leader to continue building on that success.”

Gaines officially assumes head coaching duties effective immediately as preparations begin for the 2026-27 season.

VIDEO: The 2025-2026 school year was a special time for the Liberty Tech Crusaders. With successful seasons in football, girls flag football, and girls basketball, TECH LIFE is rising and student excitement is growing. Let’s take a look back at where it all started — Crusader football, where Liberty opened the 2025 season with a 5-0 start.

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