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*Ricky Ford
Athletic Director/Head Women's Basketball Coach
Northeast Mississippi Community College head women's basketball coach/athletic director Ricky Ford is entering his 27th season at Northeast as women's coach, and his third year as the school's athletic director.
Heading into the 2007-08 basktball season, Ricky Ford's record at Northeast stands an amazing 548-176. He has this year's team ranked 17th in the nation in the NJCAA's preseason poll.
Coach Ford and his Lady Tigers had yet another milestone year in 2006-07. Not only did the Northeast women continue to build the strongest tradition in women's community college basketball, the 2006-07 Lady Tigers successfully defended their 2005 MACJC State Title, earning their fourth straight crown as North Division champions along the way.
The Lady Tigers ended the regular season with a 19-6, 10-2 record in Coach Ricky Ford's 26th season at Northeast.
One season earlier, in 2005-06, Coach Ricky Ford led the Lady Tigers, on the heels of a division title and state championship, captured the Region XXIII Title and earned a trip to the NJCAA national tournament in Salina, KS. Northeast's women finished that campaign ranked 21st in the nation.
During the opening ceremony of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) women’s Division I National Basketball Tournament held March 21-26, 2006, in Salina, Kan., Ford was recognized as the Division I, District “O,” Region 23 Coach of the Year. The award goes to the head coach of each of the 16 region championship teams.
Ford began to build a powerhouse women’s program at Northeast in 1981, after a successful stint as girls and boys coach at Booneville High School. Entering his twenty-sixth year at the helm, Ford has led his teams to 14 North Division crowns, eight State Championships, three Region 23 titles, and three appearances in the National Tournament, including a runner-up finish in the in 1986 and the 1987 National Championship. His record at Northeast stands at an extraordinary 529-169.
Ford’s 30-year career mark stands at 636-203.
This year, Ford enters his third year as athletic director. He oversees the day to day operations of an athletic department that features six varsity sports, a co-ed cheerleading squad and that coordinates the annual Mississippi Community/Junior College All-Star Classic football game each December.
An alumnus of Northeast, Ford earned a bachelor’s degree from Mississippi State University and a master’s degree from the University of Mississippi.
Ricky and his wife LuAnne have four children, Aaron, Lauren, Suzanne, and Ben.
