FORT MYERS, Fla. – A national search led to nearly 250 applicants, from Division I head coaches to National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) National Champions, vying to be the women’s head basketball coach for the emerging Florida SouthWestern State College (FSW) Buccaneers. FSW will compete in the fall 2016 in the NJCAA. In the end, Dr. Kristie Ward, the Head Women’s Basketball Coach at Florida State College at Jacksonville, was selected to lead the Buccaneers.
“We felt very fortunate to have such a quality pool of applicants. The selection came down to whom we felt was the perfect fit for FSW and who we felt would get our student-athletes to perform at a national level,” said Carl McAloose, FSW Athletic Director.
“Dr. Kristie Ward is a proven coach and knows how to take a team to the top of the NJCAA ,” said McAloose. “She can hit the ground running and I believe she will have us competing for championships in a very short period of time.”
Ward had three consecutive 20-plus winning seasons while nationally ranked, plus back-to-back Mid-Florida Conference Championships at Florida State College at Jacksonville. She was also named Coach of the Year twice and in three seasons, 15 players were awarded four-year basket all scholarships. At Northwest-Shoals Community College, her team had a 100 percent retention rate over 16 years and a 95 percent graduation rate. She had over 60 players awarded four-year scholarships and took her team to the National Championship game while being ranked number one in the country. She was also a five-time Coach of the Year in her region and a four-time Coach of the Year in the Alabama Community College Conference. Her overall record was 384-141 (.730).
“The commitment and excitement in the community and FSW’s administration is phenomenal to me,” said Ward. “I’ll be looking for young ladies who can play and represent this college. They will also need a good work ethic; I hold myself and them accountable. I think fans can expect an exciting, action-packed game. We’ll play a high intense defense, fast-paced game – a run-and-gun style.”
What Others Are Saying:
“Kristie has a tremendous passion and energy for two-year college basketball. She’s intense and she fights for her kids. She has lived it and she can teach it. In the four years she has been with us, she took a program that was in the doldrums and made it a Top 15 program.”
-George Sanders, Athletic Director, Florida State College at Jacksonville.
-Mary Tappmeyer, Former University of North Florida Women’s Basketball Coach
“She is very dedicated to the game and to her team. She puts a lot of heart into all that she does, making the team more of a family. For me, she has inspired me and helped me make career choices that have led to where I am today. FSW is really lucky to have her because I know she’ll build a strong team and a winning tradition.”
-Brittany Garner, Assistant Coach and Former Player, Florida State College at Jacksonville