Teresa Atkinson steps down as women’s basketball coach at TCC

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (March 29, 2013) – Tallahassee Community College, on Friday, announced that Teresa Atkinson is stepping down as head women's basketball coach.

Atkinson, the Lady Eagles' head coach since 1997, will remain under contract through June 30, while TCC begins an immediate search for her successor.

"We would like to thank Coach Atkinson for her dedication to Tallahassee Community College's women's basketball program," said athletic director Rob Chaney. "During her 15-plus years as head coach, she recruited quality young women who have performed in the classroom and represented Tallahassee Community College with class on the basketball court. We wish Coach Atkinson the best in her future endeavors." 

The Lady Eagles were still a relatively new program — only three years old — when TCC presented Atkinson with her first head coaching position in 1997. Although young, the program she inherited from Jan Piatnik had enjoyed tremendous success and was coming off a Panhandle Conference championship. 

Over the 15-plus seasons that followed, Atkinson built a resume that includes six trips to the NJCAA Region 8/FCSAA Tournament (1999, 2000, 2001, 2007, 2008, 2010), five 20-win seasons (1998-99, 1999-00, 2000-01, 2006-07, 2009-10) — including a single-season record 28 victories in 2000-01 — and four appearances in the NJCAA Region 8/FCSAA Championship Game (1999-01, 2010). 

Atkinson's most memorable season came in 2000-01 when she guided Tallahassee to a third straight appearance in the NJCAA Region 8/FCSAA Championship Game. After falling to PC rival Gulf Coast State College in the two previous championship tilts, Atkinson and the Lady Eagles finally captured the elusive state title, defeating Daytona State College, 76-67, on March 10, 2001.  

The victory over Daytona State punched the Lady Eagles' ticket to their first NJCAA Tournament appearance in Salina, Kan., where they continued to set the benchmark for future teams at Tallahassee. The Lady Eagles defeated the nation's number one team and the tournament's top seed, Tyler (Texas) Junior College, on their way to an appearance in the NJCAA Semifinals. Tallahassee fell to eventual champion Cloud County (Kan.) Community College in the semifinal round but brought home a third-place finish in the 16-team field when it defeated Eastern Oklahoma State College in the consolation game to finish the season with a record of 28-8. Atkinson capped off the year by being named FCSAA and NJCAA District 8 Coach of the Year.  

Off the court, more than 60 of Atkinson's players continued their education and athletic careers at the four-year level. During her tenure, she coached 76 All-Panhandle Conference players, including 27 first-team recipients; two NJCAA All-Americans; and two NJCAA Academic All-Americans. 

In 15-plus seasons at Tallahassee, Atkinson compiled a record of 263-194.