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•🏀 National Champs Again: The NWFSC Women’s Basketball team secured their third NJCAA title in five years after defeating Shelton State in the finals.
•🤝 Team Loyalty: Key players chose to return to NWFSC despite Division I offers, showcasing commitment to the team and community.
•🎤 Emotional Tribute: Coaches and school leaders praised the players’ resilience, especially after a tough loss in the regional championship.
The Northwest Florida State College Women’s Basketball team returned triumphantly from freezing Casper, Wyoming to a comparatively balmy day in Niceville to celebrate their NJCAA National Championship with College staff, fans, and fellow athletes Tuesday.
The team held on a surging Shelton State team to claim their third title in five years.
Head Coach Bart Walker thanked his team for their hard work throughout the year – and thanked the key players who decided to stay another year after a national title run that ended in a loss last year. He told the gathered crowd that the team’s key players this year – players like Mekhia Chase, Nevaeh Scott and Deborah Davenport – all had Division One offers, but decided to stay and win with the program another year.
The team’s commitment to each other and to the program paid off this Spring. But more importantly, Walker says, the team’s character says the most about who he wants a Raider Team to become. “I don’t know how many emails and people coming up to me in a hotel, just like, Are you the head coach? You got an outstanding bunch of young ladies,” Walker said.
Coach Walker, typically known for his spitfire personality on the baseline displayed how much he cares about the ladies during his address to the fans. “You know, we’ve had some really special teams in the past,” Walker said before stopping for a moment to gather himself, “They made a choice to come back to Northwest Florida State.”
Athletic Director Ramsey Ross thanked the team for buying in and making a difference at the school. “thank you not for winning a national championship, but for being you, for embracing Northwest Florida State College, for being a raider, and several of you passed on division one offers a year ago to come back to finish unfinished business, and that is so refreshing in this day and age. And I can’t thank you, all of you, enough,” Ross told the team.
Northwest Florida State College President Mel Ponder added, “We take great honor celebrating you and this amazing ride; Ponder said, “At some point, looking back when your children or your children’s children, ask the question, what does this net mean? You can say, oh, do I have a story? Let me tell you the story about my 2025 national championship team that went to Casper, Wyoming, and brought home a national championship.”
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Anyone who follows Northwest Florida State College Basketball knows that the team’s final game at home, the Region VIII championship against rivals Chipola College, was ugly. The Indians beat the brakes of the Raiders.
But the Raiders decided it wasn’t the end of the line. They decided that, after getting punched in the mouth, they would get back up. ‘
“but we we got blasted in a championship game at state, and everybody’s feeling was hurt, mine included, I was embarrassed, and I let them down, and I didn’t have them prepared to be ready to win that championship. And that’s all on me. It’s never on them. It’s on me,” Walker said.
The day after the game was rough. The day after was a little better. Walker decided to put them up against the Niceville High SChool boys basketball team. They got whipped.
Coach called that team again, and something miraculous happened – the women had a complete mindset shift and beat the boys the next day. “when y’all won that day, I saw y’all do something different, and he walked off the court with some pride, some confidence in each other, and that’s special for me.”
