GAINESVILLE (April 2) – Terrence McGriff of Bartow High School has been named the 2021 Florida Dairy Farmers Boys’ Basketball Coach of the Year following a final round of voting by a statewide panel of high school basketball coaches and media representatives.
McGriff, who led Bartow to a 22-4 record and a second straight Class 6A state championship, is the second coach to win the state coaching honor twice, joining Blanche Ely’s Melvin Randall (2013 and 2015), and the first coach to win the award in back-to-back years.
In 19 years at Bartow, McGriff has posted a 350-131 record with three state titles (2010-20-21) and three other Final Four appearances (2009-13-14).
McGriff, who was selected as the Class 6A Coach of the Year in a previous round of voting, finished with 140 points to win the overall award ahead of Class 7A COY Ben Witherspoon of Dr. Phillips (103) and Class 2A COY Treig Burke of Orlando Christian Prep (95). Class 4A COY Ike Smith of Pine Crest finished fourth (52), followed by Class 1A COY Marcus Hawkins of Wildwood (39), Class 5A COY Dave Roca of Pembroke Pines Charter (32),
and Class 3A COY Cilk McSweeney of Ft. Lauderdale Calvary Christian (25).
The Florida Dairy Farmers High School Sports Awards program exemplifies Florida Dairy Farmers’ commitment to the state’s youth. This is the 29th year of these awards as we honor the state’s top athletes and coaches in all 30 FHSAA sanctioned 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.
2021 FINAL VOTING RESULTS (Area winners in bold)
Player Total Points 1st-place Votes
Terrence McGriff 140 9
Ben Witherspoon 103 5
Treig Burke 95 3
Ike Smith 52 1
Marcus Hawkins 39 2
Dave Roca 32 0
Cilk McSweeney 25 0
Past Boys’ Basketball Coaching Winners:
1993 – Bernard Wilkes, Jacksonville Ribault
1994 – John Ellerbee, Malone
1995 – Bob Carroll, Bradenton Southeast
1996 – Wade Edmond, Pompano Beach Blanche Ely
1997 – Joey Pons, Fort Walton Beach
1998 – Bruce Rosebrock, Jacksonville Wolfson
1999 – Vernon Eppinette, Port St. Joe
2000 – Anthony Long, Gainesville
2001 – Mark Rickman, Orlando Boone
2002 – Ricky McCullough, Chipley
2003 – Mark Lieberman, Miami Pace
2004 – Mike Gaudy, Cocoa Beach
2005 – Danny Wright, Lakewood
2006 – Matt Hixenbaugh, Winter Park
2007 – Steve Kohn, Winter Park Lake Howell
2008 – Lawton Williams III, Miami Norland
2009 – Kelly Beckham, Gainesville
2010 – Eli Bryant, Tallahassee Rickards
2011 – Fred Ross, Palm Beach Gardens Dwyer
2012 – Billy Washington, Lake Wales
2013 – Melvin Randall, Pompano Beach Blanche Ely
2014 – Ed Kershner, Oviedo
2015 – Melvin Randall, Pompano Beach Blanche Ely
2016 – Shane Whitsett, Poinciana
2017 – Darryl Burrows, Dillard
2018 – Sean Campbell, Leesburg
2019 – Greg Watson, Crestview
2020 – Terrence McGriff, Bartow
