Hattiesburg, Mississippi – On Monday, April 28, 2025, Mayor Toby Barker announced that recently retired Hattiesburg High School Head Football Coach Tony Vance will serve as the Grand Marshal for this year’s Parade of Champions. Scheduled for Monday, May 5, the parade honors the academic, athletic and extracurricular achievements of students from across Hattiesburg’s schools and universities during the 2024-2025 school year.

Since taking over as head coach at Hattiesburg High in 2013, Vance has led the Tigers to remarkable success, including two South State Championships, four Region Titles, three undefeated regular seasons and playoff appearances in 11 of his 12 seasons. His leadership has earned him Pinebelt Sports Coach of the Year honors three times, in 2017, 2022 and 2024.

Vance joins a distinguished group of past Grand Marshals, including Coach Joye Lee-McNelis (2024), Coach Ernie Watson (2023), Coach Joe Hartfield (2019), and the Family of Coach Derek “Red” Jarvis, Sr. (2018).

The parade will begin at Sacred Heart High School’s north entrance, travel down West Pine Street, turn right onto Front Street, and left onto Main Street, ending at the Hattiesburg Community Arts Center at the corner of Main and Jackson Streets. Road closures along the parade route will begin around 5 p.m., with the parade set to roll at 5:30 p.m. 

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