VALDOSTA – Coach Shelton Felton was named the head coach of the Valdosta Wildcats after a unanimous vote of the Valdosta Board of Education on Tuesday.  

Felton will become the first African American head coach in Valdosta High School’s history.

Earlier this year, assistant coach Felton was named interim head coach for the 2021 season.

Felton most recently served as outside linebackers coach under head coach Jeremy Pruitt at the University of Tennessee. Prior to Tennessee, Felton was the outside linebackers coach at the University of Akron.

Felton was also head coach at Crisp County High School, the first Black head coach in school history.

At Crisp, Felton went 3-7 in his first season in 2015, then led the Cougars to a 13-1 mark in his second season. As a result, Felton was named Georgia Sports Writers Association Coach of the Year, Recruit Georgia Coach of the Year and Region 1-3A Coach of the Year.

Felton will lead the ‘Cats (4-5, 1-1 Region 1-6A) against Lee County in the team’s final game of the season 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 29.