The Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) has named Ned Mircetic of Ventura College as the 2009 RUSSELL ATHLETIC/WBCA National Junior College/Community College (JC/CC) Coach of the Year. This year marks the 27th year this accolade has been presented, which has been selected by the WBCA since 1983.

"The WBCA is delighted to present Ned Mircetic with the RUSSELL ATHLETIC/WBCA National JC/CC Coach of the Year Award," said WBCA CEO Beth Bass. "Coach Mircetic, selected for the award by his peers, has had an outstanding 2009 season and is deserving of being honored for his success."

A Belgrade, Yugoslavia, native, Mircetic just completed his 19th year of coaching at Ventura College where he has competed in 12 state Elite Eight games, appeared in nine consecutive Final Four contests, made seven straight championship game appearances and captured five state titles . His teams have earned 19 consecutive Western State Conference North Division titles and his WSC record of 201-5 gives him a winning percentage of over 98 percent. Mircetic finished the season with a 34-1 record and is the first California Community College coach to receive this award.

In 2007, Mircetic became the fastest coach in collegiate basketball history at any level to reach 500 wins. He has been named the California State Coach of the Year three times and the WSC Coach of the Year seven times. He is ranked second in most wins in California Community College women's basketball history. Within the top 10, he has the highest winning percentage at nearly 87 percent. Mircetic also stresses the importance of academics, and his teams have consistently held a team grade point average of 3.0 and above. In 2002, Ventura College won the COA State Scholar Team Award with a grade point average of 3.37, becoming the first team in any sport to both win the honor and a state championship. Ventura has also been on the WBCA Top 25 Academic Honor Roll for five straight seasons.

This year, Mircetic has not only coached the women's team, but stepped in as interim head coach for the men's team as well. He led the men's team to a 24-9 overall record and a Western State Conference championship. Despite having a strong season on the men's side, Mircetic plans to continue coaching women.

"Russell Athletic is proud to honor Ned Mircetic as the winner of the WBCA's Junior College/Community College Coach of the Year Award. Ned embodies the true values of a dedicated and successful coach," said Catherine Gammon, Sr. Director of Sponsorships, Russell Athletic.

Mircetic is one of six RUSSELL ATHLETIC/WBCA National Coaches of the Year selected, which also names winners for each of the other four WBCA collegiate divisions (NCAA Divisions I, II, III, and NAIA) as well as High School. The JC/CC Russell Athletic/WBCA National Coach of the Year Committee decided in 2005-06 that they would solicit additional nominations from the committee in order to increase the number of nominations received for this award. They will also eliminate regional winners effective 2006 per a WBCA motion.

Mircetic and the national winners from the other five divisions will be honored at the RUSSELL ATHLETIC/WBCA National Coach of the Year Luncheon on Monday, April 6, 2009, at 1 p.m. CT in the Hyatt Regency St. Louis Grand Ballroom. The luncheon is part of the WBCA National Convention, held in conjunction with the NCAA® Women's Final Four® in St. Louis, Mo.

Oxnard College athletic director Tim Harrison has been hired as the dean of the Ventura College athletic department, according to human resources documents on VCCCD.edu.

Harrison, hired less than a year ago at Oxnard, will fill the void left by reassigned dean Steve Tobias on Oct. 1.

"It was clear that he does his homework and he tends to his business," said Ventura president Robin Calote late Sunday. "That's what we need... someone who cares about the business and will work hard with the faculty to build on what is already a successful path."

More to come.