Jones College

Kayla Hankins enters her 15th year at Jones College, including seventh overseeing eligibility and compliance.

Hankins, who spent 13 years as the head cheer coach, transitioned out of coaching into a faculty role at the College. She will be teaching psychology and a student-athlete college life class starting in the 2025-26 academic year.

Hankins led the Bobcat cheer squad to UCA & UDA Open Coed National Titles in 2021, 2022 and 2024, the first three in program history.

The 2023 squad placed third and 2020 squad placed second in the UCA College Championship Open Coed Division.

The Hattiesburg native started at Jones as the assistant cheer coach and worked in the recruiting office.
 
Hankins was a member of the Bobcat cheerleading squad from 2005-07 and served as captain of the coed squad. She continued cheering at Southern Miss for two years. 
 
Hankins has her master's in education in counseling services with an emphasis in higher education and bachelor of science in psychology, both from Southern Miss.
 
Kayla and her husband Martin, an NFL official, have a daughter, Lillian Kate, and a son, Klein.