Student Athlete of the Week
Sponsored by Kincaid

The Gulf Coast Student Athlete of the Week is Markeisha Gatling (Women's Basketball), a 6 ’5” sophomore from Raleigh, North Carolina. Markeisha scored 14 points and had 10 rebounds on 7 of 10 shooting. She helped the Lady Coommodores to a 3-way tie for 1st place in the Panhanlde Conference with NWFSC and PSC with the win over Chipola.

COMMODORE NEWS

GC teams sweep host Chipola College

January 21, 2012 10:44:59 PM

News Herald Staff

MARIANNA — The formula isn’t meant to be perfectly fool-proof, but it sure is time-tested and has proven correct far more times than not.

Gulf Coast capped its first jaunt through the Panhandle Conference on Saturday night with a big road win, and GC won its third conference game in four tries with a 72-63 victory over Chipola at the Milton H. Johnson Health Center.

GC women seventh in national poll

January 18, 2012 05:05:10 PM

News Herald Staff

PANAMA CITY — The Gulf Coast women’s basketball team and its Panhandle Conference rivals continue to feel the love nationwide.

Gulf Coast is one of four women’s teams in the Panhandle to be recognized in the NJCAA national poll released Wednesday. The Lady Commodores (15-2) are ranked seventh, just behind No. 4 Pensacola (14-2) and No. 5 Northwest Florida State (18-1). Chipola (13-5) is ranked 18th.

Basketball: GC men rally for victory

January 11, 2012 10:32:30 PM

News Herald Staff

PANAMA CITY — Players generally don’t need to wait long to atone for mistakes on the basketball court.

One of Gulf Coast’s most experienced players, Terrence Townes, was reminded of that Wednesday night.

Markeisha Gatling

GC women's basketball

Basketball: GC women outlast PSC in overtime

January 11, 2012 9:35:29 PM

News Herald Staff

PANAMA CITY — It was a drag race with U-turns.

By the end of the race Wednesday night, remnants of shredded, blown-out tires were littered all over the track that was the basketball court inside Gulf Coast’s Billy Harrison Field House.

Sian Colee

GC Softball

GC baseball, softball find soggy start to spring practice slate

January 10, 2012 5:39:22 PM

News Herald Staff

PANAMA CITY — Someone outside the Gulf Coast baseball and softball family recently quipped that at least the weather at the start of spring practice this year would be favorable for once.

Basketball: GC teams seek rebounds against PSC

January 10, 2012 5:31:36 PM

News Herald Staff

PANAMA CITY — An opportunity to get a half-game up on Pensacola in the Panhandle Conference standings was lost on Saturday.

Fortunately, the men’s and women’s basketball teams at Gulf Coast get another chance Wednesday.

Chad Frazier

GC men's basketball

Panhandle me's preview: GC men face long road

January 5, 2012 1:08:36 PM

News Herald Staff

In a league as competitive as the Panhandle Conference, improvement doesn’t guarantee success.

Gulf Coast has made great strides this season on the basketball court, but the Commodores still must prove they can win when it matters most. The GC men, ill-equipped to contend against their Panhandle rivals, won just once in conference play last season.

Panhandle women's preview: Competitive season ahead again

January 4, 2012 3:54:50 PM

News Herald Staff

Parity has arrived in the Panhandle Conference.

As in, every team is really darn good.

Four Panhandle programs are ranked among the top 13 nationally in the latest NJCAA women’s basketball poll, and all five conference teams are ranked in the top 10 in Florida. The conference schedule begins in earnest on Saturday, and Gulf Coast is slated to play at Northwest Florida State in Niceville in a game that tips off at 5:30 p.m.

Jackie Varnum

East Carolina State University

Former GC standout graduates with honors from East Carolina University

12.13.11

Jackie Varnum, a former Gulf Coast State College standout is preparing for graduation at East Carolina University. Jackie participated in volleyball at Gulf Coast from 2008-2010. In 2010 she was selected as the “Outstanding Student Athlete of the Year” at Gulf Coast and the Florida Community College Activities Association “Roberta"stokes Scholar Athlete of the Year”. Jackie demonstrated her commitment to excellence on both the court and in the classroom while attending Gulf Coast.

In her first year at ECU, she was selected to the All-Tournament team four times in pre-season. Jackie was also selected as All-Conference twice in 2011. Throughout her two year stint she accumulated 291 kills and 131 blocks. She was one of the only ECU Pirate’s to play in every match and set. She led the team in hitting percentage (.175), solo blocks (10) and points (377) while ranking second in total blocks (84) and blocks per set (0.77). Despite a foot injury in 2011 that kept her out for over half the season, Varnum has picked up 44 blocks in as many sets played. Earlier in 2011, she compiled the top single-game block total with nine against the No. 1 team in the nation, California.

Jackie faired just as well in the classroom at ECU. She graduated with a GPA of 3.93. She also graduated with honors distinction of magna cum lade with a degree in Exercise Physiology. Jackie says, “Balancing volleyball and a tough academic load has taught me the most valuable life lesson of time management.” She is hoping to attend graduate school for Physical Therapy and get her certification in Strength and Conditioning.

Jackie is a Bay County resident and graduated from Bay High School in 2008. Gulf Coast was very fortunate to have someone of Jackie’s caliber participate in the athletic program.

PRESS RELEASE

12.13.11

The Gulf Coast women's basketball game vs. The College of Central Florida on Saturday, December 31, 2011 will start at 1:00 p.m. The original start time was 5:00 p.m.

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Ugoka-led Gulf Coast finishes first half 10-1

December 10, 2011 11:25:04 PM

NEWS HERALD STAFF

ATLANTA — Uju Ugoka scored 16 points to lead Gulf Coast State College to a 76-43 victory over Georgia Perimeter in a women’s junior college basketball game on Saturday.

Ugoka was one of three Lady Commodores in double-figure scoring. Keyrra Gillespie added 13 points and Markeisha Gatling scored 10 for GC.

PRESS RELEASE

12.6.11

The Start time for the Gulf Coast men's basketball home game scheduled for Saturday December 31, 2011 vs Baltimore City CC has been changed from 12 nooon to 11 a.m.

Basketball: Ugoka-led GC romps to win
December 03, 2011 01:44:30 AM

NEWS HERALD STAFF

GAINESVILLE — Uju Ugoka posted 16 points and eight rebounds in Gulf Coast’s 74-54 victory over Hillsborough in the Florida College Shootout women’s basketball tournament Friday at Santa Fe College.
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PRESS RELEASE

11.28.11

The Gulf Coast Men's Basketball game on Thursday December 1, 2011 vs. Miami Dade College has been canceled. This game was part of the Panhandle Classic schedule hosted by Chipola College.

GCSC wins second game in 2 days

November 27, 2011 04:33:28 PM

NEWS HERALD STAFF

PANAMA CITY — Work has a tendency to follow Jay Powell home.

That’s a great thing this weekend for Powell’s son, Gannon, who is celebrating his 13th birthday today. Powell welcomed an evening home with his son Saturday after his Gulf Coast men’s basketball team secured its second win in as many days.

No. 1 Gulf Coast bounces back with rout of Central Florida
November 22, 2011 09:53:55 PM

NEWS HERALD STAFF

OCALA — The Gulf Coast women’s basketball team is eager for a breather.

The Lady Commodores rebounded from their first loss of the season with a lopsided victory over Central Florida on Tuesday, a 67-46 rout that featured Britney McCloud’s team-high 12 points.
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Basketball: GC women have no trouble with Vincennes
November 20, 2011 07:13:53 PM

PAT McCANN / Executive Sports Editor

PANAMA CITY — The natural impulse is to make much more out of Gulf Coast State College’s 90-32 win over Vincennes Saturday in women’s junior college basketball than it deserves.

No, that is not a misprint. The final Saturday afternoon at Billy Harrison Field House depicted a 58-point win by the Lady Commodores. Over Vincennes.
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GC women to play in front of home fans for first time
November 17, 2011 06:24:33 PM JASON SHOOT / News Herald Writer

PANAMA CITY — The Gulf Coast women’s basketball team gets a chance to pull back the curtain for its home fans Friday.

The Lady Commodores will host Bishop State at 7 p.m. in the Gulf Coast Classic, the first time this season they’ve competed on their home floor at the Billy Harrison Field House. Pensacola plays Vincennes at 5 p.m. in the tournament’s opening game.
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Basketball: GC men beat South Georgia Tech
November 11, 2011 11:10:22 PM

NEWS HERALD STAFF

AMERICUS, Ga. — Terrence Townes scored 21 points to lead four Gulf Coast State College players in double figures as the Commodores defeated South Georgia Tech 85-79 Friday night in men’s junior college basketball.
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Basketball: GC women move to 4-0, men 4-1
November 14, 2011 01:09:28 PM

NEWS HERALD STAFF

MARIANNA — Markeisha Gatling had a key basket down the stretch while scoring 12 points with 14 rebounds as Gulf Coast State College improved to 4-0 with a 63-57 win over Georgia Perimeter Saturday in the Alzheimer’s Classic at Chipola College.
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Basketball: Ugoka ignites top-ranked GC women
November 10, 2011 11:06:49 PM

NEWS HERALD STAFF

MARIANNA — Uju Ugoka scored 22 points and grabbed nine rebounds as the state’s No. 1-ranked Gulf Coast women’s basketball team improved to 2-0 with a 65-43 victory over Kirkwood on Thursday in the opening round of the Chipola Alzheimer’s Classic.
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Basketball: Lady Commodores cruise in season opener
November 04, 2011 11:11:11 PM

MARIANNA — Keyrra Gillespie narrowly missed a triple-double, and Uju Ugoka posted a team-high 22 points to lead Gulf Coast to a 117-42 win over Faith Baptist Bible College at the Chipola Classic women's basketball tournament on Friday.
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Basketball: GC men take opener
November 01, 2011 09:31:59 PM NEWS HERALD STAFF

ENTERPRISE, Ala. — Jose Rodriguez scored a game-high 20 points to lead the Gulf Coast State men’s basketball team to a 108-85 victory over Enterprise State in its junior college basketball opener. Alan Love, Roland Brown and Dylan Smith each scored 12 points and Peter Kpan added 10 for the Commodores (1-0). GC next plays Friday in the Aiken (S.C.) Technical College Tournament.
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