A Pirate Looks at 500:

Mircetic Nears Benchmark

     Head coach Ned Mircetic has become the first coach in college basketball history to win 500 games in his first 17 seasons.  Joe Curley of the Ventura County Star wrote a series of articles on the Captain of the Pirates' ship as he achieved this benchmark.

  Feb. 18, 2007    Historic 500th win clinches coach's legacy  The Ventura College women's basketball program, defined by winning, knows its true worth goes beyond wins and losses.  That was the message on a historic night at the VC Athletic Event Center Saturday night.  Ventura, the only program in California community college basketball history with five state championships, defeated Cuesta College of San Luis Obispo, 63-35, to clinch its 17th straight Western State Conference title.  One banner for every year since head coach Ned Mircetic was hired in 1990.  But, in victory, the 53-year-old coach, who emigrated from Belgrade, Yugoslavia, as toddler, also achieved a feat believed to be unmatched in the 110 years of college basketball history.  READ

  Feb. 18, 2007    Mark of a winner  Never a .500 coach, Ventura College women's basketball coach Ned Mircetic became a 500 coach Saturday night.  Veronica Williams had 15 points and Eja Wong added 14 points as the Ventura College women's basketball team defeated visiting Cuesta, 63-35, Saturday night at the VC Athletic Event Center.  READ

  Feb. 18, 2007    Mircetic's assistants have had hand in team's success  The t's were crossed and the i's were dotted. Ventura College women's basketball coach Ned Mircetic was ready to go where no college basketball coach had gone before.  Without a belt.  Thankfully, his trusty staff of assistant coaches were there. As usual.  READ

  Feb. 17, 2007    Mircetic receives high marks for milestone at 'lower' level  The man who brought Ned Mircetic to Ventura College is coaching in the Big 12 Conference now, taking chartered flights to games and coaching against some of the most glittering NBA prospects.  On the recommendation of former Oxnard College coach David Carmichael, former VC men's coach Phil Mathews hired Mircetic as his part-time assistant in 1985.  READ

  Feb. 16, 2007    Mircetic's next win at Ventura will be historic  Saturday night could be a historic one at the Ventura College Athletic Event Center.  The Ventura College women's basketball team (24-6, 10-1) can clinch their 17th straight Western State Conference North Division title with a victory over fourth-place Cuesta (13-16, 4-7).  With a win, coach Ned Mircetic would become the fifth California community college women's basketball coach to win 500 games — joining Tom Martinez of San Mateo, Caren Franci of Santa Rosa, Colleen Riley of Fullerton and Karen Welliver of Cerritos.  READ

  Feb. 11, 2007    No Stopping Now  After years of declining a friend's offer of nomination to the Ventura County Sports Hall of Fame, Ventura College women's basketball coach Ned Mircetic finally relented this year.  For the first time, he is eligible to be inducted. The inductees will be announced later this month.  READ

  Feb. 11, 2007    Mircetic has set a 'hard' standard for all to follow  In her 12th season, Laura Beeman now coaches the reigning state champion at Mount San Antonio College.  But the former All-America point guard at Cal State San Bernardino remembers what it was like starting out in California community college women's basketball. And how she began to put together the pieces of an eventual championship program by taking notes on Ventura College coach Ned Mircetic.  READ

  Feb. 11, 2007    Mircetic file  READ