Ribault’s Sheila Seymore-Pennick Named Girls’ Basketball Coach of the Year
GAINESVILLE (March 4) – Head coach Sheila Seymore-Pennick of Ribault High School in Jacksonville has been named the 2016 Florida Dairy Farmers Girls’ Basketball Coach of the Year following a final round of voting by a statewide panel of high school coaches and media representatives.
The overall coach-of-the-year award was the first for Seymore-Pennick, who took over the head coaching job from four-time state Coach-of-the-Year Al Austin 12 years ago and has continued Ribault’s championship tradition. She led the Trojans to a 29-1 record this year and the Class 5A state title. It was her third state title in the past five years (2013, 2014, 2016) and seventh Final Four appearance during her tenure. Her overall record at Ribault is 291-60.
Seymore-Pennick tallied 112 points to finish ahead of Class 8A COY Rahshard Morgan of Vero Beach, who was second with 104 points. Class 3A COY Ochiel Swaby of Miami Country Day (100) finished third followed by Class 7A COY Johnnie Lawson of Winter Haven (95) and Class 6A COY Chad Terrell of Ft. Myers (78). Rounding out this year’s voting were Class 4A COY Al Honor of Lake Highland Prep (77), Class 2A COY Ericka Cromartie of Tallahassee FAMU (73), and Class 1A COY Marcus Hawkins of Madison County (45).
The Florida Dairy Farmers High School Sports Awards program exemplifies Florida Dairy Farmers’ commitment to the state’s youth. This is the 24th year of these unique awards as we honor the state’s top athletes and coaches in all 30 FHSAA sanctioned and recognized sports. The program also emphasizes to young people the importance of keeping dairy products a primary part of their diet in their overall nutrition plan.
2016 FINAL VOTING RESULTS (Note: Points awarded on a 10-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis)
Coach 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Total (Area winners in bold)
Sheila Seymore-Pennick 5 2 3 2 3 2 1 0 112
Rahshard Morgan 5 2 2 3 1 1 2 2 104
Ochiel Swaby 3 4 2 3 1 2 2 1 100
Johnnie Lawson 1 4 3 4 3 2 0 1 95
Chad Terrell 1 3 2 2 2 4 1 3 78
Al Honor 1 1 2 1 6 5 2 0 77
Ericka Cromartie 1 2 2 2 2 2 6 1 73
Marcus Hawkins 1 0 2 1 0 0 4 10 45
Past Girls’ Basketball Coaching Winners:
1993 – Ronnie Bond, Pensacola Washington
1994 – Al Austin, Ribault (Jacksonville)
1995 – Reginald Davis, Tallahassee Godby
1996 – Harry Elifson, St. Petersburg Boca Ciega
1997 – Al Austin, Ribault (Jacksonville)
1998 – Dave Horner, Forest (Ocala)
1999 – Al Austin, Ribault (Jacksonville)
2000 – Ronnie Bond, Pensacola Washington
2001 – Ronnie Bond, Pensacola Washington
2002 – Al Austin, Ribault (Jacksonville)
2003 – Abby Ward, South Broward
2004 – Ronnalee Terry, The Benjamin School
2005 – Carl Brown, Lake Mary
2006 – Greg Hostetler, Titusville Astronaut
2007 – LeDawn Gibson, Winter Haven
2008 – Mike Hamburger, Naples Barron Collier
2009 – Carla Harris-Curry, Miami Norland
2010 – Marcia Pinder, Fort Lauderdale Dillard
2011 – Marcia Pinder, Fort Lauderdale Dillard
2012 – Marcia Pinder, Fort Lauderdale Dillard
2013 – Marcia Pinder, Fort Lauderdale Dillard
2014 – John Harder, Bradenton Southeast
2015 – Marcia Pinder, Fort Lauderdale Dillard
