The Reynolds Era
John Reynolds: Celebrating 20 years of coaching at Florida Tech

Reynolds is ranked in the top 25 among all Division II coaches with a .658 winning percentage entering the 2006–’07 season.

Coach Reynolds by the Numbers: 20 YEARS AT FLORIDA TECH 354 WINS 170 CONFERENCE WINS 46 ALL-SSC PLAYERS 35 ALUMNI RETURNED FOR ALUMNI GAME 26 MOST SEASON WINS 16 WINNING SEASONS 7 NCAA DII POSTSEASON APPEARANCES 5 NCAA DII ALL-SOUTH REGIONAL PLAYERS 5 SSC CHAMPIONSHIP TITLES 4 TIME SSC COACH OF YEAR 4 SSC TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONSHIP TITLES 4 SSC FRESHMEN OF THE YEAR 3 FLORIDA TECH HALL OF FAMERS 3 NCAA ALL-AMERICANS 3 NCAA DII ALL-SOUTH TOURNAMENT PLAYERS 3 SSC PLAYERS OF THE YEAR 1 NCAA DII SOUTH REGIONAL TITLE 1 NCAA DII ELITE EIGHT APPEARANCE 1 SSC HALL OF FAME PLAYER

John Reynolds began his 20th year at the helm of the Florida Tech women’s basketball program this season, introducing his freshmen class of 2010 to the winning ways of the Panther program. During the inaugural Fall Homecoming this past October, Coach Reynolds held his first alumni weekend welcoming back players from as far back as the graduating class of 1988.

NCAA women’s basketball just recently celebrated its 25th anniversary as part of the centennial celebration for the National Collegiate Athletic Association. Reynolds was around for 19 of those years and had been the coach for 20 of the 21 years Florida Tech has sponsored women’s basketball with its inaugural season in 1986–’87.

Starting off, Reynolds never saw this as a long-term position; he took this experience a year at a time until it became his career. One element he has maintained in his 20 years is the type of student-athlete he recruits to play for the Panthers. Solid character is what Reynolds has stayed true with in bringing players to Florida Tech, and it has seemed to be the right path for the 21-year-old program.

“Florida Tech should be proud of all of its athletic alumni, seeing what all these student-athletes have accomplished with their knowledge gained while performing in their sport as well as in the classroom,” said Reynolds.

Reynolds is ranked in the top 25 among all Division II coaches with a .658 winning percentage entering the 2006–’07 season with a 354-194 overall record. He has taken his teams to seven NCAA Division II postseason appearances. Reynolds learned early on in his career that one must maintain respect on and off the court.

“To keep a solid relationship with your players, you must enforce at all times that their coach believes in them and will support them academically and athletically,” stated Reynolds.

After only four seasons under his belt, with the overall success of a winning record already in hand, Reynolds was not satisfied. During the 1991–’92 and 1992–’93 seasons, the Panthers dominated the Sunshine State Conference (SSC). During that period, the team played to a 51-8 overall record, 23-1 in the SSC, won both postseason tournament championships and made two consecutive appearances in the NCAA playoffs. For his efforts, Reynolds was named the Sunshine State Conference Coach of the Year following each season.

He then repeated his two-year SSC domination in 1995–’96 and 1996–’97, when his team was SSC Regular Season Co-Champions in the ’95–’96 season and SSC Regular and Postseason Champions in ’96–’97. In 1997, they also made it to the NCAA Regional Playoffs.

On Jan. 2, 1998, Reynolds reached the 200th victory milestone mark when Florida Tech defeated British Columbia 56-48. Then in his first win in 2003, he reached the 300th mark, blowing out UPR-Mayaguez 79-38 in Tech’s Thanksgiving Tournament. Last season, along came the 350th win milestone, when the team defeated Barry University on Feb. 1, 53-40.

On paper, one of the greatest of his accomplishments included the stellar performance of the 2001–’02 team, which posted a 26-5 overall record, becoming the Sunshine State Conference Regular Season Champions, the SSC Tournament Champions and the NCAA II South Regional Champions. This was the first and only time Florida Tech has ever made it to the Elite Eight and only the second time a Sunshine State Conference women’s basketball team has ever made the Elite Eight.

Reynolds was named SSC Coach of the Year for 2002; this was his fourth time winning this honor. The Panthers also became the only women’s team, other than the South Regional Host Delta State, to cut down the net in their famed arena.

Reynolds would say one of his greatest sources of pride was having the opportunity to do what very few coaches at this level get the chance to—coach his own daughter. Reynolds’ daughter Laurissa played three seasons for the Panthers, finishing off her collegiate career in 2005 upon graduation.

As a father, one of his most memorable moments was witnessing Laurissa score the tying three-point basket in the semifinals of the SSC tournament in 2004 to give the Panthers the overtime opportunity. Subsequently, Tech went on to win the game and advance to the conference title game.

Another program snapshot came this past October when he had one of the best ever alumni turnouts for the Homecoming Women’s Basketball weekend. More than 30 former players along with their families returned to play in the alumni game on Oct. 15, 2006.

“I got to see what great women they all are now,” stated Reynolds. “These players carried themselves as champions on the court, in the classroom and took that same mentality with them after graduating from Florida Tech.”

Reynolds may not remember all the wins and losses in his 20 years with Florida Tech, but he certainly remembers all of his players. So, in the end, he contributes his longevity to genuinely caring about his student-athletes and earning their trust along with believing in each and every one of his players who chose to wear the crimson and gray.

Christa Parulis-Kaye