By Patrick Ochs

POPLARVILLE – Scotty Fletcher’s proud to bring a Pearl River County native home.

The PRCC head women’s basketball coach recently announced the addition of Caroline Lumpkin to his staff. The 2013 Pearl River Central High graduate will join Chelsee Black as an assistant on the staff.

“We’re beyond excited to welcome Caroline to our basketball family. I watched Caroline play in high school and college and I believe she’ll bring the same passion she played with to our campus, college and community,” Fletcher said. “She embodies everything that the ‘Wildcat Way’ stands for, which is Pride, Respect, Class and Character.”

Lumpkin had a standout prep career at Pearl River Central, where she collected more than 1,000 points and 500 rebounds en route to earning spots on the ’12 and ’13 Coast South All-Star teams and being named the Region 6-5A Offensive Player of the Year. She was also inducted into the Pearl River Central Hall of Fame.

She went on to play at Copiah-Lincoln Community College from 2013-15. While there, Lumpkin helped lead Co-Lin to a MACJC State Championship in 2015, was a member of Phi Theta Kappa and was named to the Who’s Who Among National Junior Colleges.

She then transferred to William Carey, where she played from 2015-17 before earning a spot as a student assistant last season.

“After my interview at PRCC I knew this was the place I wanted to be. Growing up here and being a hometown girl, it is exciting to come back home to start my coaching career,” the 23-year-old Lumpkin said. “Coach Fletcher and Coach Black are dedicated and driven to grow this program and I am excited to be a part of it.

“I can’t wait to get started and am looking forward to the upcoming year.”

Fletcher believes this is only the beginning for Lumpkin.

“She has always been a gym rat. She came down here and volunteered to work our team camps and watched us practice a couple times this year,” he said. “I just felt like she was very hungry and eager to learn.

“She’s going to be a rising star in our profession.”

Lumpkin is the daughter of Adrian and Shannon Lumpkin; and the sister of Claire and Laura Cate Lumpkin, and Sara Smith.