TCC Athletics’ Top 10 of the ‘10s: Part 1 of 2
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (December 30, 2019) - As the 2010s draw to a close, it's time for Tallahassee Community College to look back at its top athletics highlights of the past decade.
On December 30 and 31, TCC Athletics will unveil its "Top 10 of the '10s" on TCCeagles.com, a list that will relive the most outstanding individual and team accomplishments, as well as unique moments that highlight the Eagles' success.
Nos. 10-6 will be revealed Monday, December 30 with the top five highlights of the 2010s set to be unveiled on Tuesday, December 31.
TCC Athletics' Top 10 of the 10s
10. You're looking live at Tallahassee Community College!
After partnering with Panhandle Sports Broadcasting for Panhandle Conference Basketball broadcasts through the end of the 2015 season, the Eagles launched an in-house live stream initiative in November 2015, thanks to a grant from the TCC Foundation's College Innovation Fund. The grant provided the necessary start-up funding to move live stream productions in-house. In doing so, it allowed the College to expand its coverage to baseball and softball games, as well as the complete men's and women's basketball schedule. From 2015-19, the Eagles streamed games on the Livestream platform. In October 2019, just prior to the start of the current basketball season, the Eagles announced a partnership with NJCAA streaming partner BlueFrame Technology.
9. Facility improvements aid the Eagles' success
Improving the Eagles' athletics facilities has been a point of emphasis for director of athletics Rob Chaney since assuming the post in 2009, and each facility took its turn in the spotlight. Up first was the TCC Softball Complex and the installation of a new Daktronics scoreboard in advance of the 2011 season.
Next, the athletic gymnasium inside the Lifetime Sports Complex was officially rededicated as the Bill Hebrock Eagledome on November 4, 2011, in honor of the late Bill Hebrock, an avid supporter of athletics who served on the College's District Board of Trustees from 1999 until his death in January 2011. Coinciding with the renaming, the facility received the following upgrades prior to the 2011-12 season: existing score tables were refurbished and a fifth section purchased; new goal padding was installed, emblazoned with the traditional interlocking "TCC;" a new supply of sidelines seats were purchased; and photos of former student-athletes were installed throughout the lobby, highlighting the College's proud history in athletics. The Eagles' Hall of Excellence, also located inside the Lifetime Sports Complex, came to life and is home to the Eagle Athletics Hall of Fame while also highlighting the Eagles' state championship teams, Olympic athletes and academic award winners.
In 2012, Eagle Field underwent its first major renovations since opening in 1991. The project included installation of approximately 13,000 square feet of artificial turf along both foul lines, on the "hips" behind home plate and in both bullpens; a large interlocking "TCC," complete in the school colors of royal blue and gold, woven into the turf directly behind home plate; a rebuilt infield, complete with new sod, tilling the diamond, installing stabilizer to the clay area and rebuilding the pitcher's mound; 500 feet of drain tile, to improve the field's drainage; a laser-graded playing surface; and new wall padding on the backstop.
The next major project was unveiled in September 2017 when the Eagles opened the Refreshment Services Pepsi & Vending Athletic Training Center, located adjacent to the playing floor of the Bill Hebrock Eagledome. The new training room totals 1,153 square feet, more than double the 503 square feet formerly allocated for athletic training services. The project also delivered new equipment such as a customized taping station and whirlpool table, complete with TCC branding, portable hivamat and four-channel combo stim machine.
8. Men's Basketball surprises as Region 8 Champions (2011)
After a 1-3 start in Panhandle Conference play, the Eagles won seven of their next eight, including a 64-56 win at Chipola in the regular season finale, to lock up a postseason berth. Riding a wave of momentum, Tallahassee knocked off Suncoast Conference Champion Polk State, avenged a 43-point loss to Mid-Florida Conference Champion Central Florida then beat Chipola on its home floor for the second time in 14 days to capture its third NJCAA District/FCSAA State Championship. Eddie Barnes was named FCSAA Coach of the Year and freshman forward Leek Leek was named the Tournament's Most Valuable Player. At the NJCAA Tournament, Tallahassee knocked off Cape Fear in the opening round before falling to eventual national champion Southern Idaho in the national quarterfinals and Coffeyville in the consolation bracket to end its season at 26-10.
Originally published March 5, 2011
7. The Eagles become a year-round athletics program (2016, 2017, 2019)
In October 2015, the College announced it would add women's cross country as its fifth sport and the first new sport since the 1994-95 season. Six months later, Gary Droze was named head coach and the team began competition in Fall 2016. The team made its debut August 26, 2016, in the Cougar XC Challenge, held at Phipps Park. Samantha Reilly entered the record books as the first Eagle runner to complete a 5K race. One year later, men's cross country began participating and by Spring 2019, the Eagles boasted men's and women's outdoor track, bringing their total number of teams to eight. Along the way, the fledgling programs have already produced a women's individual state cross country champion (Meagan Giddens, 2017), four All-State cross country runners (Samantha Reilly and Mia Wiederkehr, 2016; Brandon Flagler, 2018; Genevieve Printiss, 2019) and two qualifiers for the NJCAA Track Championships (Printiss, Wiederkehr, 2019).
Originally published October 20, 2015
6. Baseball wins PC Championship, ascends to #1 NJCAA ranking (2013)
Mike McLeod's Eagles enjoyed a banner season in 2013 – 46 wins, the program's sixth Panhandle Conference Championship, a pair of NJCAA All-Americans and the FCSAA's Player of the Year. After closing out a 16-4 record in PC play, the Eagles claimed the NJCAA's No. 1 ranking for the first time in its 23-year history. Tallahassee closed the regular season with a three-game sweep against Pasco-Hernando State College to preserve the No. 1 ranking entering postseason play.
Originally published April 24, 2013
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