Florida Tech Panthers

John Reynolds, a stalwart of Florida Tech’s women’s basketball program, has been a part of its journey since its inception 39 years ago. From his early days as an assistant in the inaugural season of 1986-87, he since took the reins as the head coach, marking his 38th season in 2024-25.

Reynolds' 599 wins rank him at No. 11 among active D-II women's coaches and 22nd all-time. He is second in Sunshine State Conference history behind Glenn Wilkes Jr (753).

During the 2022-23 season, Reynolds hit a career milestone when he coached the 1000th game of his career against Tampa on February 25th.  Aiste Vaitekunaite earned one SSC Defensive Player of the Week, while Lina Stranger-Johannessen earned CSC Academic All-District Honors. 

The 2020-21 campaign was short due to COVID-19. However, Reynolds had two players honored with All-Sunshine State Conference honors, including Freshman of the Year and All-Newcomer Team for Zoe Murphy and Second Team for Fanny Paulin.

During the 2019-20 season, Reynolds and the Panthers went 13-16 and 9-11 in SSC play. After a year hiatus, his team made it back to the SSC tournament as a sixth seed.

The 2017-18 season saw Reynolds and the women's basketball team post an 11-16 record and a berth into the SSC tournament as the eighth seed. During the campaign, John accomplished something few coaches have ever done as he eclipsed the 550-win mark.

Reynolds' 2016-17 season team posted a 15-14 record that included another SSC tournament championship run. The Panthers fell in the title game for the second straight year, this time to Eckerd. Julie McCarthy and DeLise Williams were named to the SSC All-Tournament team.

In 2015-16, Reynolds led a team that defied expectations, picked to finish 6th in the league, to a remarkable 20-10 overall record, including a 12-4 mark in the SSC. The Panthers finished as the SSC regular season runner-up and the Tournament runner-up after a hard-fought battle with Tampa in the SSC Championship Game. FIT earned a well-deserved bid to the NCAA Tournament as the No. 7 seed in the South Region. Junior Shequana Harris was a Second Team All-SSC selection and was joined by senior Tiesha Flagler on the All-SSC Tournament Team, further highlighting the team's exceptional performance.

In 2014-15, Reynolds squad jumped out to a school record 15-0 start en route to a 20-7 season. He has put together 26 winning seasons and won 20-plus games 11 times.

During the 2013 season, Reynolds was named the Russell Athletic/WBCA South Region Coach of the Year. The previous season, Reynolds led the Panthers to their second-straight NCAA Division II Tournament appearance—it's eighth all-time. Florida Tech bowed out in the first round to conference foe Florida Southern. 

In 2010-11, Tech defeated Tampa in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament before falling to then No. 1 Arkansas Tech to finish at 24-9 overall. Lynisha Nelson concluded her four-year career owning seven program records and tying one mark. 

Under his guidance, the Panthers have won six regular-season Sunshine State Conference Championships, four SSC Tournament Championships, one NCAA Division II South Region title, and appeared in the NCAA Division II Elite Eight in 2002. Reynolds has led Florida Tech to 32 SSC Tournaments, including a streak of 20 straight appearances from 1988 to 2007.  Florida Tech has advanced to 10 SSC Tournament Championship games, winning four.

Reynolds has been recognized for his work on the court by being selected SSC Coach of the Year five times (’92, ’93, ’97, ’02, ’07) and South Region Coach of the Year three times. He has coached 52 All-SSC players, four SSC Freshman of the Year, four SSC Players of the Year, ten NCAA Division II All-South Region players, three NCAA Division II All-South Region Tournament players, four NCAA Division II All-Americans and three Florida Tech Hall of Famers.

Four of Reynolds’ former players, Felicia Bell, Christine Ferron Keenan, Paulette King-Morin, and Sanja Radenkovic, were named to the SSC’s Silver Anniversary Team in 2007. The quartet helped FIT place the most athletes of any other school on the team. King-Morin was chosen as the top SSC player of the first 25 years. Ferron Keenan, King-Morin, and Radenkovic are SSC Hall of Famers.

One of his former players has joined him on his coaching staff. Returning for her eighth season, Assistant Coach Ursula Norris. Matt McHenry is also returning as an assistant coach for his second season.

Reynolds graduated in 1976 from Brockport State with a bachelor’s degree in history.

Reynolds is married to Gloria. The couple has three adult children, Jason and Zachary, and Laurissa.  He has five grandchildren, Kaelani, Myles, Nadija, Kamryn and Ciara.

John Reynolds' Career Record (29 Seasons)