Warren Central has turned over the reins of its girls basketball program to one of its own.

Jackie Martin-Glass, who helped WC to two state championships as a player in 1986 and 1987, has accepted an offer to become the head coach of the Lady Vikes. The hire is subject to approval by the Vicksburg Warren School Board at its next meeting on July 30.

“I look forward to it. Since I got back into coaching, I’ve wanted to get back on the high school level as a head coach,” Martin-Glass said. “I knew if I was going to go on to the college level I had to get on as a high school coach.”

It’s the first varsity head coaching job for Martin-Glass. The 40-year-old spent the past five seasons as WC’s ninth-grade coach, as well as an assistant to longtime varsity coach Donny Fuller. Martin-Glass also spent one season as a graduate assistant to hall of fame coach Van Chancellor at Ole Miss.

Fuller left WC in May to take over Gulfport’s program.

“She was a great high school player, a great college player. She worked with Coach Fuller for a few years. The knowledge part of the game, she should do well at,” Vicksburg Warren athletic director Lum Wright Jr. said. “She would be one that would be on my list. I totally support the recommendation. I think everything’s going to end up working out really good for us.”

Martin-Glass was actually the second choice for the job. It was first offered to Belhaven coach Billy Evans, but he and the school district couldn’t come to an agreement. WC principal Rodney Smith then turned to Martin-Glass late last week, and she happily accepted.

Martin-Glass said she didn’t feel any resentment about being the second choice for the job.

“Coach Evans had over 20 years of experience. I can’t give what I don’t have. I didn’t have any resentment because losing out to someone with that experience is OK,” Martin-Glass said.

Although her coaching experience is limited, Martin-Glass will make up for it with lessons learned from two of the state’s best coaches — Chancellor and Fuller — and an outstanding playing career.

After transferring to Warren Central before her sophomore year, she led the Lady Vikes to two state titles and went on to play at Ole Miss. In college, she helped the Lady Rebels win the 1992 Southeastern Conference championship and finished with 1,395 career points — 12th on the school’s all-time list. She was inducted into the Ole Miss athletic hall of fame last year.

Martin-Glass spent one season as a graduate assistant coach at Ole Miss, but left coaching to travel overseas with her husband Gerald — another Ole Miss hall of famer — and raise a family. She took over WC’s ninth-grade program in 2004, leading the younger Lady Vikes to the Little Six championship in 2006.

Martin-Glass will have to find some new stars in her new job. Four-time Vicksburg Post player of the year Sha’Kayla Caples and point guard Karnina Bunch, WC’s two leading scorers last season, are both gone. Two senior starters — Ricille Davis and DeDe Eatmon — and three other seniors return from last year’s club.

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Contact Ernest Bowker at ebowker@vicksburgpost.com