After months of speculation, it is now official. There will not be a Hopkinsville High School baseball team in 2026, the final year of the school’s existence.
A news release from Hopkinsville High School late Thursday afternoon said the school could not field a team in its final season due to lack of student interest and participation.
The release said the school administration had made diligent efforts to build a team, but ultimately, were unable to sufficiently fill the roster.
Efforts have been made since late summer to draw enough interest in having a final Hopkinsville High School baseball team. A number of transfers and lack of players doomed the team from playing its final season before consolidation with Christian County in 2027.
Head Coach Malcolm Tipler resigned last month and has taken an assistant coaching position with University Heights Academy leaving the program without a head coach.
Thursday’s announcement comes only two years since the Tigers won the Region 2 championship and advanced to the quarterfinals of the KHSAA State Tournament.
According to the “100 Years of Football” book produced by William Turner and Roy Keller, the first year the Tigers had a baseball team with a coach was 1916.
The Tigers competed for one Kentucky High School Athletic Association state title, falling to Newport Catholic 9-8 at Louisville’s Parkway Field in 1950.
Hoptown won region baseball titles in 1976 and 1986 under Coach Gary Satterfield. Randy Harrell guided the Tigers to 2010 region crown and Greg Perry coached the Tigers to the 2015 region crown.
Blake Leach led Hoptown to the 2019 regional title.
Hoptown won its final region baseball title in 2024 under the guidance of Tipler.
Thursday’s release said school and district officials met with parents and student athletes to discuss the next steps and options for any interested in players.