Dear FSW Community...Thank You Letter From Marty Richter

FORT MYERS, Fla. – Head Coach Marty Richter, who has led the FSW men's basketball program for the past three seasons (2 on-court; 1st season recruiting), is resigning to take an assistant coach position on head coach Darian DeVries’ coaching staff at Drake University from the Missouri Valley Conference.

"I appreciate what Coach Richter accomplished in his time with us, particularly this past season when led our second year program to the NJCAA National Tournament and a No. 2 national ranking. We wish Marty the best in his new position," said FSW Interim Athletic Director George Sanders. “Marty created a winning culture for our men’s basketball program and was able to quickly make our program one of the best in the country. While we are sad to see Marty and his family move on to Drake, we understand that an eventual move back to Division I was inevitable for him. We have no doubt he will continue to be successful.”

Richter departs with a 56-10 (.848) overall mark with the Buccaneers and a 22-2 (.917) Suncoast Conference record. He also saw 10 of his student-athletes earn scholarships to continue their collegiate careers at NCAA Division I institutions.

“It is hard to say good bye to so many good people,” said Richter. “My family and I are grateful to have been embraced by the FSW and SWFL community, and are very sad to depart. I can’t thank President Jeffery Allbritten, former Athletic Director Carl McAloose and current Interim Athletic Director George Sanders for the opportunity to coach at FSW. We have appreciated every part of our experience as a Buccaneer and wish the Bucs the best of luck in all their future endeavors. I will be following closely. GO BUCS!!!”

“I am very excited to join Coach Darian DeVries’ staff at Drake University,” Richter said. “I have known Coach DeVries for some time and consider him a friend as well as a positive mentor to help further my own development as a coach. Joining the Drake team not only allows me the opportunity to coach in a conference ranked 8th in the country, but it also allows me to return to my home state to be near family. Simply, the move is a win/win for my family and I. There are very few opportunities that could have led my family and I to leave SWFL. This is a testament both to FSW and the SWFL community as well as Drake and my experience with the men’s basketball program and athletic department at Drake to this point. I am really looking forward to the journey ahead. I wish to express my sincere gratitude to Coach Devries and Athletic Director Brian Hardin for the chance to join the Bulldog Community.”

The recipient of the 2018 Suncoast Conference Coach of the Year award, Richter and the Buccaneers finished the season 30-3 overall, earned the program's first Suncoast Conference championship (12-0 conference record), secured their second consecutive berth to the NJCAA District VIII Championship and were awarded the highest seed of the at-large bids to the NJCAA National Tournament (6-seed). The Bucs defeated tournament host Hutchinson Community College, 80-65 (March 21), in the second round of the National Tournament, before falling to Vincennes University (76-68; March 22) in the Quarterfinals.

As a team this season, FSW led the nation in opponents' field goal percentage (36.8 percent) but they also ranked in the top 25 nationally in multiple categories, including blocks per game (6.9; 4th), defensive rebounds per game (32.1, 7th), assists per game (20.4, 9th), opponents' three-point field goal percentage (29.9 percent, 11th), rebounds per game (46.0, 11th), steals per game (10.2, 12th), field goal percentage (50.8 percent, 14th), total points (2,985, 18th) and points per game (90.5; 24th).

In his first season at the helm at FSW, Richter led the Purple and Aqua, who ranked No. 31 in the final NJCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Rankings (Feb. 28), to a 26-7 overall record. The Bucs earned a berth to the NJCAA District VIII Championship in the first year of the program after winning a 4-team Suncoast Conference playoff, defeating SCF (98-75; Feb. 25) and Polk State (99-94; Feb.27) The Buccaneers also won 16 of their last 18 games to close the regular season and were one of four schools in the state with both its men’s and women’s basketball teams represented in the State Tournament (Central Florida, Broward, Tallahassee). The Buccaneers finished the 2016-17 regular season ranked 21st nationally in assists per game (19.4), 46th in steals (9.0) and 56th in blocks (4.1). FSW also ranked in the top 60 nationally in points (52nd, 86.7) and field goal percentage (59th, 47.8 percent).

Richter, who brought vast coaching knowledge and awareness of the recruiting landscape to FSW, spent four seasons (2011-15) on the sidelines for Florida Gulf Coast and prior to arriving at FGCU in 2011-12, Richter was an evaluator and collegiate scout for ESPN.

While at FGCU, Richter was a part of 80+ wins, three A-Sun Championship final appearances, an A-Sun Tournament title and an A-Sun regular-season championship, an appearance in the NIT and a run to the Sweet Sixteen which captivated the nation with the Dunk City phenomenon.

Richter worked with ESPN from June of 2009 until coming to Fort Myers, traveling around the country to cover high school basketball. During his two years, Richter provided ESPN with evaluations and contact information for ESPN’s national recruiting data base.

A 1999 graduate and three-year letterwinner at Simpson College (Iowa), Richter began his coaching career as an assistant at his alma mater from 1999-2001. After a two-year stay at the University of South Dakota (2001-03) as a graduate assistant coach, Richter caught on to Dan Dakich’s staff at Bowling Green where he was promoted to an assistant coach from 2004-07.

Richter began his first stint as an assistant coach at Florida junior college powerhouse Chipola College during the 2007-08 season. Chipola spent 11 weeks ranked No. 1 in the NJCAA national poll, finishing the year with a 35-2 record, a regional championship and a seventh place finish at the National Tournament.

Richter then served as the video coordinator for Indiana University and interim coach Dan Dakich after his season with Chipola, joining the team for the 2008 Big Ten Championship and the NCAA Tournament. With the Hoosiers, Richter provided video edits for the postseason while helping the academic support staff.

International experience became part of Richter’s detailed resume in 2008-09, when he served as an assistant coach for the Budivelnyk Basketball Club of the Ukrainian Superleague. Richter assisted with all facets of the club, extending from game preparation, on-floor coaching, scouting of opponents, recruiting of international and American players, and individual development.

Richter then returned to Chipola College after the conclusion of the season in the Ukraine, joining the Indians for the start of regular season play. After winning another regional championship, Chipola finished third at the National Tournament with a 34-2 overall mark. Nine different players moved on to Division I programs following the season.

FOLLOW THE BUCS
For the latest news on FSW Athletics, log on to FSWBucs.com or stay connected to the Bucs on social media. Follow the Buccaneers on Twitter @FSWBucs, on Instagram @FSWBucs, on Facebook at Facebook.com/FSWBucs and on Snapchat at BucsSnaps.

SUNCOAST CREDIT UNION ARENA
The Buccaneers compete in the brand new Suncoast Credit Union Arena. Suncoast Credit Union Arena is approximately 75,000 square feet and is home to the FSW basketball teams and a student athletic center. The arena seats approximately 3,300 fans and includes six skyboxes, a hospitality event center, competition courts that convert into recreational courts, athletic office space, student, faculty and staff wellness, and an athletic center with a fitness pavilion, men's and women's locker rooms and a weight training area. The arena has two Daktronics displays, on the north and south walls, that each measure 10 feet high by 20 feet wide. Both displays incorporate variable content zoning to each show one large image or they can be divided into multiple windows to show any variety of live video, instant replays, up-to-the-minute statistics, graphics and animations, and sponsorship messages. One-hundred feet of ribbon displays have been installed on the east and west walls of the arena. The ribbons provide the opportunity to supplement the content on the main displays as well as highlight sponsors throughout events.

FLORIDA SOUTHWESTERN
The Florida SouthWestern State College athletic program is a member of the Florida College System Athletic Association (FCSAA) and the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA). The Buccaneers are one of 25 schools in the NJCAA Region 8 and are one of six schools in the Suncoast Conference. Florida SouthWestern State College currently supports four intercollegiate athletic programs (Baseball, Softball, Men’s Basketball, Women’s Basketball).

Baseball and Softball began their regular season competition in 2016 at the City of Palms Park in Fort Myers. Located on the Thomas Edison (Lee) Campus in Fort Myers is the brand new Suncoast Credit Union Arena (completed in fall 2016), where FSW’s men’s and women’s basketball teams compete.

THE NJCAA
The movement to form a unique sports association dedicated to America’s two-year colleges arose in 1937 when several track and field coaches gathered in Fresno, California. A year later, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) rejected a petition from 13 two-year colleges in California to grant their teams and athletes permission to compete at the NCAA Track & Field Championships.

In the spring of 1938, following the NCAA’s rejection, those same 13 two-year colleges gathered again in Fresno to organize and form an association that would promote and supervise a national athletics program exclusively for junior and community colleges…and the rest is history.

On May 14, 1938, the first constitution of the National Junior College Athletic Association was accepted by its charter members and the organization held its first national championship event a year later in May 1939.

The NJCAA has played a vital role in collegiate athletics for the past eight decades and continues to be the leader in championing academic and athletic opportunities for student-athletes. This section of the association's website is dedicated to celebrating the NJCAA's rich history and tradition as the national governing body of two-year college athletics.

For more information on the NJCAA log on to www.NJCAA.org. 

THE FCSAA
The Florida College System Activities Association, Incorporated (FCSAA) is a statewide non‑profit corporation regulating, coordinating, and promoting intercollegiate activities in: Athletics, Brain Bowl, Forensics, Music, Student Government, Student Publications, and Theatre.

Membership in the Florida College System Activities Association is open to any of the 28 colleges in the Florida College System. Each member institution is represented in the policy‑making deliberations of the Association through that institution's President or other designated representative. The institutional representatives constitute the FCSAA Presidents Assembly, the ultimate authority in FCSAA.

For more information on the FCSAA log on to www.TheFCSAA.com.  

NJCAA REGION 8 & THE SUNCOAST CONFERENCE
Member colleges of the NJCAA are allotted to a specific NJCAA Region upon membership to the association. Unlike other collegiate organizations that defer to conference affiliation, the NJCAA guarantees each member college's membership within the regional structure of the association. In most cases, region assignment is based upon geographic location of the college. 

The region structure of the NJCAA is the primary method used by all sponsored sports of the association in determining qualification for national championship tournaments. In certain sports, two or more regions are partnered to form a competition 'district', which is then used for national championship qualification. The organization of districts varies per sport and is formulated every two years under the authority of the association's board of directors. 

FSW is in Region 8 and is joined by ASA College Miami (Region 8 only; non-FCSAA member), Broward College, Chipola College, College of Central Florida, Daytona State College, Eastern Florida State College, Florida State College at Jacksonville, Gulf Coast State College, Hillsborough Community College, Indian River State College, Lake-Sumter State College, Miami Dade College, Northwest Florida State College, Palm Beach State College, Pasco-Hernando State College, Pensacola State College, Polk State College, Santa Fe College, Seminole State College of Florida, South Florida State College, St. Johns River State College, St. Petersburg College, State College of Florida Manatee-Sarasota and Tallahassee Community College.

The Bucs are also in the Suncoast Conference with Hillsborough Community College, Polk State College, South Florida State College, St. Petersburg College and State College of Florida Manatee-Sarasota. The women’s basketball program is also in the Suncoast Conference, but with only three other teams (Hillsborough Community College, St. Petersburg College and Eastern Florida State College).

For more information on Region 8 log on to www.TheFCSAASports.com.