There's nothing ordinary about the expectations at Northwest Florida State College.
There's nothing ordinary about the results, either.
When the NJCAA National Tournaments begin this week in Kansas, Northwest Florida State College will be one of two schools sending an entrant to both the men's tournament in Hutchinson and the women's tournament in Salina.
The men, coached by second-year head man Steve Forbes, will open the tournament Monday with a noon tipoff against USC-Salkehatchee (15-17). The women, meanwhile, will begin tournament play on Tuesday by taking on Itawamba Community College (19-9) of Mississippi. When the two Raider editions hit the floor this week, it will mark the second time in school history that the men and women have qualified for nationals in the same season, the last coming in 1994-95.
"This is the type of week that athletic directors dream about," said Northwest Florida State Athletic Director Ramsey Ross, who will spend his time this week driving from Hutchinson to Salina and back again. "We have two teams in the national tournament and both of them have a realistic shot at cutting down the nets. Not too many colleges can say that. It’s a tribute to our administration, coaches, and student-athletes and I’m just proud to be a part of it. Is it going to be busy….yes, but I wouldn’t want it any other way."
The chance to compete for a pair of national championships is the latest milestone for a nationally respected basketball program, which has recently followed the lead of a pair of talented coaches, each with his own unique style that has led to the brink of a national championship.
This is how they got here:
'I knew the expectations'
Harrington arrived in Niceville first, accepting the job as head women's basketball coach at Northwest Florida State three years ago. After being former NWF State athletic director Mickey Englett, who himself piloted the Lady Raiders to national tournament appearances during his tenure as head coach, all Harrington has done is compile three straight seasons of 20 or more wins in compiling a 73-17 record in Niceville, capped by this season's 26-4 mark. The Lady Raiders, who ended the regular season at No. 5 in the country, qualified for Salina after earning one of four at-large bids from the NJCAA.
"I'm happy for our kids, happy for our program," said Harrington, who was hired by Englett after serving as an assistant coach at the University of Colorado.
In Boulder, Harrington's responsibilities included recruiting, scouting and on-court instructions, three areas he has used to build the current NWF State team into a national title contender. On the recruiting front, Harrington has put together a long, physical roster stocked with talented players from places like Baltimore, Australia, France and other far-flung locations.
For Harrington, the chance to compete for a national championship means that he and his Lady Raiders are meeting expectations.
"I knew about the expectations when I applied for the job," said the veteran coach. "I talked with coach Englett, and he was very clear to me that this program was expected to compete at a high level. And our goal every year are to win the Panhandle, win the region, win the national title. This program has coach Englett's fingerprints all over it, and we're just trying to continue the tradition."
While Englett made the call three years ago to hand the keys to Harrington, Ross has watched Harrington's program mature into a title contender.
" Coach Harrington has quickly elevated the women’s program into national prominence by recruiting very well, developing his players, and establishing a Division I culture that has been contagious among all of his players," said Ross. "He has closed the gap for our program in the toughest league in the country and we now have the confidence that we can compete with anyone in the nation."
For Englett, the chance to see the Lady Raiders, who are in the national tourney for the first time in 18 years, back in the national title hunt has been a welcome sight.
"I think it's good for our school and our community," said Englett, who retired as AD last April. "Any time you're in the national tournament, that means you're right there with a chance to win it. I'm proud of what they've accomplished."
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While the Lady Raiders' rise to prominence has been a gradual incline, the Raiders' success under Forbes has been immediate.
Hired in April of 2011 after serving as part of Bruce Pearl's coaching staff at Tennessee, Forbes has quickly built a JUCO juggernaut, as the Raiders have won two straight Panhandle Conference crowns and are back inn Hutchinson after falling one game short of a national title in 2012.
"It says a lot about the quality of players we have, and their desire to compete," said Forbes, who has compiled a 58-5 record in two seasons. "This is a great program and guys come here because they get a chance to play in the best league in the country and they get a chance to play in some of the nicest facilities around. We're thankful to be back in the national tournament this season and we're going to go out there and hopefully compete for a national championship."
Recruiting and player development have both been staples under Forbes, as the Raiders currently have four players signed to play Division I basketball next season. All-America point guard Chris Jones, the first two-time Player of the Year in the history of the Panhandle Conference, is headed to Louisville, while forward Elgin Cook has signed with Oregon; guard Lamin Fulton has inked with Albany; and center Marvin Williams has pledged to UL-Monroe.
All four players, and the rest of the Raiders, hit the court with intensity and swagger instilled by the intense Forbes, whose influence can be seen each time the Raiders take the floor.
"What Coach Forbes has done in his first two seasons has been simply sensational," said Ross. "The fact that he has led our men’s basketball program to 22 Panhandle Conference wins out of 24 games in two seasons is staggering. It’s a joy to watch he and his staff get after it the way they do and it’s no wonder why they have our men’s basketball program among the nation’s elite."
While the Raiders made it to the NJCAA national title game before eventually losing to South Plains (Texas) last season, this year's bunch has duplicated that success despite having a roster that's almost entirely new. Only Jones played significant minutes last season, while 10 of the other 11 Raiders are relatively new to the program.
"Well, we are back but most of these kids are in their first run-through with us," said Forbes. "I think that says a lot about this school that we were able to attract players in here that could help us sustain this success.
While both coaches will be busy competing this week, observers like Ross are able to stand back and truly appreciate the basketball renaissance currently taking place in Niceville, and the young athletic director is enjoying the ride.
"Coach Forbes and Coach Harrington have established themselves as two of the premier coaches in the country and their programs are benefiting tremendously from their leadership," said Ross. "To have our basketball programs ranked consistently in the top 10 or top 5 in the country is absolutely remarkable and it’s a ride that I hope our fans and local community are truly appreciating."