Coach Martin McCann Heading to Daytona State

Lake Worth Beach, FL -- Panthers' Men's Basketball Coach Martin McCann has beeen hired as the next Head Men's Basketball Coach at Daytona State College.

McCann has transformed Palm Beach State Basketball into one of the premier junior college men's basketball programs in the country after an unprecedented 5-year run as Head Coach. The 2018-2019 season was a banner year for the Panthers and McCann, one of the most successful years in program history. The team won a Southern Conference Championship, the 1st under McCann's watch. Coach McCann was named Southern Conference Coach of the Year, Malik Curry was named Southern Conference Player of the Year and 2nd Team NJCAA All-American, the 1st All-American since McCann took over as head coach. Additionally, 7 players were named to the two All-Conference teams.

When reached for comment, Coach McCann had this to say on his time at Palm Beach, "I would like to thank Palm Beach State College for the opportunity to lead the Men's Basketball program for the past 5 years. It has been a privilege and an absolute pleasure leading this program, living in Palm Beach County, and representing Palm Beach State College."

McCann came to Palm Beach as an assistant and spent one year in that position before being elevated to head coach. During his 5 years as head coach, Coach McCann guided the Panthers to four 20-win seasons, including a record 25 wins in 2016-2017 -- 109 wins in total. On January 2, 2019, Coach McCann won his 100th game at Palm Beach State. Additionally, the Panthers were ranked within the NJCAA top-25 multiple times, with the highest being #3 overall during the 2015-2016.

In addition to McCann's on-court accomplishments, he mentored some of the better junior college players in the country and helped elevate their game to move on to 4-year schools. Over 30 players have gone on to NCAA schools with the majority playing at the Division I level. 5 players have gone on to play professionally.

Off the court, McCann is a tireless worker and recruiter, constantly striving to be the best he can be. He has demonstrated he can and will bring in big-time recruits that play at a high level. More important than that, his players want to play hard for him. Coach McCann has earned the respect of his peers, several of which have called him "one of the rising young head coaches in the game". Recently Coach McCann was named to the Under Armour "30-Under-30" Team, which is presented by the National Association of Basketball Coaches. The award is presented to the 30 coaches under the age of the 30 that show great promise and are already highly-accomplished before the age of 30. 

McCann runs his program similarly to a NCAA Division I institution. He incorporates sports information, recruiting materials, statistics, and graphic design in his pursuit of players; most of which is not done at this level. His attention to detail is what seperates him from the rest -- the little things that players appreciate.

We here at the Palm Beach State Athletic Department wish Coach McCann well and thank him for everything that has given the institution. We know he will do well in his new position and expect big things from him in the near future. 

In addition, we wish the best to Assistant Coach Cody Cohen, who will most likely follow McCann to Daytona State. Coach Cohen recently completed his 1st year at Palm Beach State, his 1st year as an Assistant Coach after previously serving as video coordinator for Murray State's Men's Basketball Team. Coach Cohen, while vocal on the court, did a lot for the program behind the scenes; things that faculty, staff, fans, and even players may not have noticed. However, his contributions to the program were highly valued by administration. When not coaching, Cody often designed recruiting materials, edited highlight videos, and even pulled in his first big recruit. He worked tireless, long hours to make this program better. We know it will not belong before he has a head coaching job of his own.