Coach Chris Mowry was named the Head Men’s Basketball Coach at Santa Fe College on June 25, 2003. He is beginning his 17th season as the longest tenured men’s basketball coach in Saints history. He has the most wins in school history, with a 309-174 record. Coach Mowry has a MFC (Mid-Florida Conference) record of 99-81, and has won or shared four MFC (Mid-Florida Conference) Titles, as well as two MFC Tournament Titles. He has been named MFC Coach of the Year four times.  Last season, the Saints finished with a 15-16 overall record.  Five players signd with 4-year colleges after last season:  Admir Besovic, Bosko Bojovic, Kimar Edwards, John Mason, and Ivan Smith. Today our staff caught up with Coach to talk about his program:

2019-2020 Santa Fe signees: 

FAMU - Tre Howard (FR)

 Eastern Illinois -Ryan Leonard (SO)

Univ. of Indianapolis -Josiah Tynes (FR)

Embry-Riddle - Nikola Jerotic (FR)

Freed-Hardeman - Luka Filipovic (SO)

2020-2021 Returners & Newcomers:

(Returners)

1. Zare, Cooper

2. Eddie Foster III

3. DJ Henderson

4. Jovan Jovanovic

5. Aleksa Medic

6. Jay Medor

7. Yaw Obeng-Mensah

8. Dominic Pugh

(Newcomers)

1. 1. Hasan Abdul-Hakim

   2. Bradley Douglas

   3. Darrien Jones

   4. Nicolas McClain

   5. Gunner Munn

   6. Josh Petteno

   7. Diego Romero

What are your expectations for Santa Fe this coming year?

We expect to compete for a conference title and state tournament bid.  Our conference is one of the best in the country, so we know that each game will be a challenge.  We expect to help our players reach their potential on and off the court, allowing them to move on to the 4 year level with confidence, knowing they are ready for the next challenge in their life.

How do you feel about NJCAA decision to move basketball to a spring session?

I’m happy with the decision.  I believe it gives us time to learn more about COVID-19 and how to safely compete during the health crisis.

What players will you miss the most from last season? Who are you most excited to coach next year?

I’ll miss everyone, but I look forward to following them at their new schools.  I’m excited to coach each of our returners and newcomers.  Each season the journey with your team is different and rewarding in unique ways. 

What changes do you expect to see in all of college basketball this coming season due to COVID-19? (Non-NJCAA how it effects 4-year schools recruiting calendar)  

 The NCAA just came out with their Nov. 25 start date yesterday, so we now know their plan.  No D1 recruiting until January at the earliest will be a challenge for everyone.  I think all levels will need to be able to adjust on the fly, as games may be cancelled or changed at any given moment.  Teams will be unsure from day to day who is healthy and who will be out for weeks at a time.  Teams that can adapt quickly to the daily changes will have the best chance for a successful season.  Having said that, I think in general, if we are able to play games this season, we should all consider our seasons to be successful.

How does the new law in the state of Florida allowing college athletes to accept endorsements affect the junior college student athlete?

I don’t think the new law will affect our players at the JC level.

Will you be open to playing more geographically located prep schools this year?

Due to the 22 game limit this season, we will not have any regular season games against prep schools.  We hope to be able to scrimmage several prep schools in our area.

Who would be your all time-starting 5? (Of the guys you coached at all schools)

I’ve been fortunate to coach at the college level for 38 years, so to try to pick 5 seems impossible.  There have been many talented players, but more importantly for me, many wonderful bonds of friendship formed over the years, that I am thankful for every day.