All-Time Women's Basketball Wins Leader Ned Mircetic Retires As Ventura Head Coach

After more than a generation at the helm of the Ventura College women's basketball team, Ned Mircetic has retired as the program's head coach. The Pirates' mentor led the team for 35 years amassing a state-record 942 wins, seven state championships, 29 Western State Conference North Division crowns and three 3C2A State Scholar Team awards among numerous other team and individual accolades.

The Pirates were victorious in 82 percent (942-203, .823) of its games with under Mircetic, including winning more than 91 percent (355-33, .914) of its conference games. The Pirates won seven state championships during the Mircetic years, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2010 and 2014, playing in seven straight state championship games during one stretch, 1996-2002, while making the state Final Four nine consecutive seasons, 1995-2003.

Mircetic's Pirate teams advanced to the 3C2A State Elite Eight 18 seasons. He is, to date, the only California community college coach to be named the WBCA National Coach of the Year, winning the award in 2009. He earned the 3C2A State Co-Coach of the Year honor four times and the WSC Coach of the Year 12 times.

"For more than three decades, Coach Ned Mircetic's legacy has brought excellence both on and off the court and an extraordinary record of championships and victories for Ventura College," said Dr. Luca Lewis, Ventura College President.  "Ned's commitment to student academic achievement, leadership, and personal growth and development reflects what we value deeply at Ventura College."

"We are grateful for the incredible ways Ned has strengthened and advanced Ventura College and our community, and we celebrate the lasting difference he has made in the lives of so many students. His legacy of excellence will continue to inspire VC Pirates for generations to come."

Born in Belgrade, Yugoslavia in 1953, Mircetic emigrated to the U.S. with his family via Paris, France in 1960. He spent many of his formative years in Chicago before moving to Southern California in 1967. He played basketball at La Cañada High School, graduating in 1971. Mircetic earned his A.A. degree from Glendale College in 1974 and his B.S. degree in kinesiology from UCLA in 1977. He earned his M.Ed. degree with an emphasis in physical education from Azusa Pacific in 1986.

During his college days at UCLA, Coach Mircetic spent many nights in Westwood as an usher at Pauley Pavilion watching the Bruins under coach John Wooden toward the end of their magical run of 10 national championships in 12 seasons. Coach Wooden defined success not in winning and losing, but in "becoming the best you are capable of becoming."

Mircetic, who was an assistant men's basketball coach at Ventura from 1986-1990 under Hall of Fame coach Phil Mathews, was influenced by Wooden and Mathews with the focus on the effort his teams put forth on the court.

"Our philosophy, from basic fundamentals through team play, has its foundation in playing hard," said the coach early in his tenure at the helm of the Pirates.

"It is our trademark and signature. Playing hard identifies who we are as individuals and as a team. Playing hard is more than winning and losing. It means giving your best effort all the time. Playing hard is the most important skill we teach here at Ventura College."

Believing in the simplicity of the game, as taught by Wooden, Mircetic built the program on one phrase, "We Play Hard!" as taught by Mathews. Mircetic built the VC women's basketball program, brick-by-brick, in a never-ending process of excellence focused on fulfillment of individual and team potential, not on winning and losing.

"We encourage our players to give their best effort in everything they do, on and off the court," said Mircetic.

Ventura College was one of the top destinations in the state for players continuing to four-year schools under Mircetic. He sent 96 players on to play basketball at the next level at 57 different colleges and universities across the country. There were 28 NCAA Division I transfers from VC through the years and an additional five athletes transferred to NCAA Division I schools on scholarship for sports other than basketball. Mircetic had 42 players transfer to NCAA Division II schools, 18 players to NAIA schools and nine played at the NCAA Division III level.

In total, 174 VC players matriculated to 91 different four-year schools from 1991 through 2026, with most of them receiving their bachelor's degree with many moving on to graduate work.  Pirate alumnae have reached a level of success that is comparable with any school in the country in many different career fields. Mircetic has built a vast alumnae network that has spread nationwide and internationally.

"Ned's impact extends far beyond the record books as the winningest coach in 3C2A history," said VC alumna and three-time state champion Monica Hang '02, who has produced 328 community college wins in her 21-year head coaching career at Glendale and LA Valley. 

"His influence and standard of excellence resonate across the entire game of basketball," she said.  "Having had the privilege of playing for him and winning three state championships together, I can attest that his impact on me as a student-athlete was tremendous."

"More importantly, his mentorship in guiding young women toward personal growth and successful careers has been truly transformative," Hang said.

Under Mircetic's guidance, Ventura College became the most-recognized academic achieving community college women's basketball program in the country. VC has been awarded three 3C2A State Scholar Team Awards, 2002, 2009 and 2015, and earned recognition by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association on its National Academic Honor Roll for 19 of the 20 years (2004-2023), including the No. 2 rank for the 2008-09 and 2019-20 seasons. The 2019-20 team had a program record 3.544 grade point average for the academic year. The Pirates have earned above a 3.0 team Grade Point Average in 37 of the last 40 semesters, including the last 21 straight, dating back to the 2015.

Following the 2002 state championship, the Pirates were honored as the top academic team in the state by winning the 3C2A State Scholar Team Award. In that year, VC posted a team fall semester GPA of 3.37 and was the first team in California in any sport to win both the state championship and the scholar team award. Ventura followed up their State Final Four appearance by winning the State Scholar Team Award for the 2008-09 year with a team fall semester GPA of 3.37, and in 2014-15, the team posted a then-program-record 3.39 GPA to earn the honor for a third time.

Ventura was the only community college program in the country to have been honored by the WBCA 19 times over 20 years, and just one other four-year school earned the same recognition over that time span. VC had 13 Top-10 national academic rankings, including the No. 2-rank in 2009 and 2020.

Individually, VC women's basketball has led the state with 68 Academic All-State honorees since 2009-10. Two Pirate student athletes earned the 3C2A State Female Scholar Athlete of the Year Award, Hanna Burge for 2012-13 and Kylie Gallick for 2022-23.

VC women's basketball has also given back to the college and the community under Mircetic.  He has directed the highly-successful We Play Hard Basketball Camps for over three decades and brought the popular Favorite Teacher Night to VC as sophomore women's basketball players would honor their favorite college instructors.  VC women's basketball also hosted its annual Ribbons of Life Breast Cancer Game for a number of years, promoting breast cancer awareness and raising funds for the Ribbons of Life Breast Caner Foundation, a local grass-roots charity focused on supporting women and their families in the community.

Mircetic has also been an active full-time faculty member in the kinesiology department at Ventura College for 35 years, teaching a variety of classes for the College.

The on-the-court success of the Pirates under Mircetic was legendary.  Mircetic retires as the winningest community college women's basketball coach in California On Nov. 12, 2023, Mircetic earned his 900th career victory and his 942 career wins is 125 victories ahead of second place among California community college coaches. Among those in the top 20 of the winningest basketball coaches in 3C2A history, Mircetic has the second-highest winning percentage and is one of two on the list who won over 80 percent of their games. Mircetic's seven state championships are unmatched in the history of the sport in California, and only four other coaches have won two or more titles.

"Ned has been a mentor and friend to so many of us coaches that have had the opportunity to coach at the California Community College level," said longtime WNBA coach Gary Kloppenburg, who coached against the Pirates at Lassen College in the 1993 3C2A State Final Four at the Athletic Event Center. (Additionally, Kloppenburg's daughter and VC alumna Carlotta Kloppenburg-Pruitt '12, who has become a very successful coach in her own right at Western Oregon University and now at Point Loma University, played at VC from 2010-2012.)

"When you coached against him, you knew you better be prepared because his teams were  disciplined, talented and always played at a high intensity level," said Kloppenburg.

"But above all, he cared about the academic success and personal well-being of his players and helped hundreds of student-athletes through the years to develop the work ethic and passion to succeed on and off the court. So grateful my daughter Carlotta had the opportunity to play for him."

In addition to leading all California community college coaches, Mircetic's career places him among the nation's elite. On December 17, 2017, Mircetic earned his 800th career victory, becoming the 18th collegiate women's basketball coach to achieve the milestone. Additionally, he achieved 800 wins in just 923 games, making him the fastest to reach the mark. By comparison, Geno Auriema of Connecticut recorded his 800th career win in 2012 in 928 games and Lin Laursen of Central Arizona CC achieved her 800th victory in 2003 in 934 games.

In February 2007, the Pirates helped Mircetic make history as he became the fastest coach in college basketball history, at any level, to reach the 500-win plateau. Later that year he was honored with his induction into the Ventura County Sports Hall of Fame.

In 2010, Mircetic became the winningest coach in California community college women's basketball history and he surpassed the 700-win plateau on January 25, 2014.

The Pirates won 25 games for the 24th time in the Mircetic era, advancing to the state Elite Eight in 2018-19. VC surpassed the 20-win plateau for the 31st season in a row, including 30 years of Mircetic's tenure, with a 21-7 record the following season, advancing to their 18th State Elite Eight. The Pirates again crossed the 20-win plateau in 2023 and 2024 as Mircetic recorded a total of 32 20-win seasons in his 35-year tenure.

Mircetic was the first, and to date the only California Community College coach to receive the Russell Athletic-WBCA National JC/CC Coach of the Year, winning the award in 2009.  In that season, he pulled double duty, leading both the men's and women's teams to WSC titles while pacing the women to the State Final Four. Combined that season, Mircetic was 58-10 overall (34-1 with the women and 24-9 with the men) and 21-3 in conference play (12-0 women, 9-3 men).  He was a finalist for the honor in 2008 when he coached VC to the State Elite Eight and again in 2014 leading the Pirates to a record seventh state championship.

Mircetic's players excelled individually on the court. There were countless All-WSC performers in addition to 44 All-State honorees. Nine Pirates were named the state co-player of the year and 12 earned All-American honors (one, twice). Marina Torres-Reyes was named the Student Sports National Community College Player of the Year in 1996.

Mircetic coached 40 years at Ventura College, having served as an assistant coach for the Pirate men from 1986-1990. During the next five seasons (1986-90), Mircetic helped lead the Pirates to a 125-39 (.762) record and five WSC titles. In 1987, the Pirates won the 3C2A state championship, the VC's first state title in 35 years. Mircetic was named head coach of the women's team prior to the 1990-91 season.

In serving as both a head or assistant coach, Mircetic won eight state titles and 35 conference crowns.

Mircetic started his coaching career at St. Bonaventure High School, coaching the freshman/sophomore and JV boy's teams in 1982 and 1983. He assisted with the men's and women's teams at Oxnard College from 1983 to 1985 when he joined Phil Mathews as the assistant men's coach at VC.

"While his historic success makes him a true GOAT of our sport," said Hang. "Those of us fortunate enough to have learned from him will miss having him on the sideline. The 3C2A basketball community will profoundly miss his presence, but his remarkable legacy will permanently endure."

Release courtesy of Ventura College Athletics