Billy Mims is entering his 18th year at the helm of the Florida Tech men’s basketball team in 2022-23. This season will be his 37th as a head coach and 42nd year of coaching overall.
Since he took over the Florida Tech program, Mims has coached 31 All-SSC players, three SSC Defensive Players of the Year, two SSC Freshmen of the Year, 40 SSC Players of the Week, two All-SSC Tournament player, seven All-South Region players, two all-district player, one Division II Bulletin National Player of the Month, one Daktronics All-South Region Player of the Year and four All-Americans.
The Panthers went 13-13 in the 2021-22 season. They started their conference schedule very well, winning their first three games over Saint Leo, Florida Southern and Rollins. A signature win for Tech was a 70-67 win over No. 25 Barry at home in February. The Panthers ended their regular season strong with wins over Palm Beach Atlantic, and Eckerd on Senior Day to get into the SSC Tournament. Florida Tech had four players who averaged double-figures in points per game, Mekhii Noble (15.7 ppg, 11.6 reb), Sesan Russell (14.6 ppg, 5.6 ast), Sean Houpt (14.2 ppg) and Runako Ziegler (14.2 ppg).
Florida Tech finished with a 4-4 record during the shortened 2020-21 season due to COVID-19. After losing the first three games of the season, the Panthers won four straight including victories over Palm Beach Atlantic (73-60), Florida Southern (79-75) and Tampa (86-77). Tech made the SSC Tournament semifinals for the first time since 2012 after defeating Tampa (90-84) in double-overtime in the SSC quarterfinals at the Clemente Center. Junior guard Sesan Russell ranked second in the SSC in scoring (22.5 ppg) and first in assists (6.1). Russell was tabbed to the All-SSC First Team and All-Tournament team while sophomore guard Sean Houpt was selected to the Newcomer Team.
The Panthers went 11-17 in 2019-20 and had two players rank in the top 8 of the conference in scoring (Derek Murphy, 20.3 ppg – 5th; Sesan Russell, 18.8 ppg – 8th). Florida Tech went 6-2 against non-SSC opponents during the season, including lop-sided wins over Johnson (111-71), Lagrange (89-71), Johnson & Wales (90-68) and Toccoa Falls (86-53). Murphy was named to the All-SSC Second Team following the season.
Florida Tech finished with an 8-20 record during the 2018-19 campaign, including victories over Puerto Rico-Bayamon (84-59) and Concordia-St. Paul (95-89) to win another Thanksgiving Tournament Championship. The win over Concordia gave Mims his 200th career victory at Florida Tech. Derek Murphy finished as the SSC Scoring Champion averaging 23.1 points per game on the way to earning All-SSC second team honors following the regular season.
Mims' 2017-18 team posted a 13-16 over record and continued the trend of post season play as the squad earned the eighth seed in the SSC Tournament. Seniors Sam Daniel and Jordan majors found themselves honored with All-SSC laurels for the second straight season. The awards were not finished for Daniels as he brought home the NABC D-II South All-District and D-II Bulletin All-American honorable mention. Guard Phil Bernhard was named to the NABC Honors Court for his performance both in the classroom and on the court.
During the 2016-17 season, Mims guided the Panthers to a 15-14 overall record and another appearance in the Sunshine State Conference Men's Basketball Tournament. Florida Tech nearly knocked off top-seeded Barry in the first round of the tournament, falling to the Buccaneers 87-84. Juniors Sam Daniel and Jordan Majors were named to the All-SSC Teams following the season. Daniel garnered first team honors after ranking second in the league in scoring at 20.4 points per game, while Majors took home second team laurels. Both Daniel and Majors joined the Panthers exclusive 1,000-point club during the season. Daniel also set a new school record with 93 three-pointers this year, smashing the old mark of 84 from 2005-06.
In 2015-16, Mims helped forward Corbin Jackson earn Division II Bulletin All-American Honorable Mention, while also coaching him to his third consecutive Sunshine State Conference Defensive Player of the Year award. In addition, Isaac Spence became the league’s first-ever male student-athlete to be named to the Allstate NABC Good Works Team, recognizing those who have dedicated themselves to bettering the lives of others through giving back to their communities.
In the summer of 2015, Mims took the Panthers on their first-ever trip to London, a 10-day journey in which they toured several attractions and mounted a 4-2 record against professional teams from England.
The 2014-15 season was one of many firsts, as Chris Carter and Jermaine Jackson were named Sporting News Preseason All-Americans, the first time in school history two-student athletes had received such honors in the same year. Florida Tech also made its debut on ESPN3 in a pair of road games at NCAA Division I Florida Gulf Coast and Stetson.
Florida Tech opened the year 9-1, winning two games on the road in the SSC vs. SIAC NCAA South Regional Challenge and beating CIAA Champion Livingstone and Peach Belt Conference member Flagler both on the road. Mims also guided the Panthers to a 16-point victory against No. 4 Barry and helped coach Corbin Jackson to his second straight SSC Defensive Player of the Year honor, while Jordan Majors earned the league’s Freshman of the Year award.
Returning a core of junior guards in 2013-14 in Chris Carter and Jermaine Jackson along with center David Usic, redshirt sophomore Corbin Jackson and junior Akeem Johnson joined the trio in the starting lineup. The Panthers got off to a quick start, finishing the 2013 portion of their schedule 11-1. The lone loss came on a jumper from 16 feet out with 2.3 seconds remaining. At Palm Beach Atlantic University on Nov. 18, Florida Tech overcame a 13-point deficit in the second half to defeat the Sailfish, 65-69. With the win, Mims became the all-time winningest coach in school history with 126.
Mims guided newcomer Corbin Jackson to the SSC Defensive Player of the Year, SSC All-Newcomer Team and Daktronics All-South Region Second Team honors while Jermaine Jackson was named to the All-SSC First Team and NABC South District Second Team.
Mims closed out the 2012-13 season just three wins away from tying Andy Russo for most wins all-time by a men’s basketball head coach with 125. He entered the season with a record of 122-108 (.530).
Despite returning just one starter of the 2011-12 squad that finished 23-7, 12-4 SSC and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, Mims guided a young Panther club to a perfect 9-0 mark in February 2013 to end the regular season. The team finished the season 16-11 with two victories over Sunshine State Conference foes and top-25 ranked Florida Southern (No. 6) and Saint Leo (No. 16).
Mims was the architect of possibly the greatest season in the program’s history in 2011-12, leading the Crimson and Gray to its first outright Sunshine State Conference Championship and the second round of the NCAA Division II Championship. The Panthers finished at 23-7 overall and 12-4 in the SSC. Their 23 wins on the season were the second-most in program history.
Florida Tech’s appearance in the NCAA Tournament was its third in its 45-plus year history and first since the 1989-90 season. The Panthers defeated Saint Leo in the first round and advanced to the second round for the second time ever where they played then No. 2 Alabama-Huntsville. At home, the Panthers mounted a 17-1 record inside the Clemente Center. In SSC play, they posted a perfect 8-0 record in their gym for the first time ever. They entered the 2012-13 season having won 13 consecutive games on their home floor. While working towards what would be a memorable season, Mims earned his 500th victory as a head coach and his 100th win as the Panthers’ men’s basketball coach.
During Mims’ first year in Melbourne in 2005-06, the Panthers finished with a record of 7-21. His first win as head coach came in his first game, a 91-89 double overtime victory over Valdosta State on Nov. 15, 2005. Tech defeated Florida Memorial 90-84 in his third game and then routed Southeastern 109-67 at home later in the season. The Panthers closed out the season with four wins in its final six games, including wins over SSC foes Saint Leo (85-81), Tampa (69-64) and Florida Southern (85-82).
Mims and his wife Lynne reside in Rockledge with their children Courtney, Callie and Josh.
