Seney Named Maryland Juco Women’s Basketball Coach of the Year
Baltimore County, Md. -- Mike Seney was hired in March 2019 to lead the return of women's basketball at CCBC Essex after a 15-year hiatus. On Tuesday, it was announced by the Maryland Juco Athletic Conference that he won its 2019-20 coach of the year award.
"It means a lot to be named coach of the year," said Seney, who has now won the award five times. "It's really a team award. Without my staff that I have around me and our [student-athletes] that go out there and put the work in, I don't win this award. I am blessed."
Knights' woman's basketball had been dormant for a decade and a half. In his first season at the helm, Seney led Essex to a 30-2 overall record, including going 12-0 in conference during the regular season to capture the program's first conference title in 38 years.
Seney's career coaching record now sits at 165-17 (.907) and he owns a 99-game winning streak versus conference opponents.
The Knights then took home the NJCAA Region XX Division II title, its first since 1978, earning a No. 9 seed in the NJCAA Division II Women's Basketball Tournament.
"Our goal since day one was to win the Region XX Tournament and go on to nationals," Seney said. "Our girls bought in and we achieved what we set out to accomplish."
Seney built a national championship caliber team, ending the season on a 19-game winning streak.
The Knights took on the mentality that to be the best, you have to beat the best. So they scheduled three of the four semifinalist teams from last season – and went 3-0 with a 12-point average margin of victory.
Essex went undefeated at home (10-0) and finished the season averaging 93.1 points per games, shooting 39.6% from the floor and 32.7% from three-point range. They led the nation in made three pointers.
To build such a high-octane, competitive team, Seney knew it would take a special core. Enter four-year, NCAA Division I transfers Mya Moye (Florida A&M), Kasey Gagan (University of Rhode Island) and Aislinn Flynn (Towson University), who affectionately became known as "The Big Three."
"I tell people recruiting is about getting the kids you are not supposed to get," Seney said. "Kasey, Mya, and Ais all could've gone to more established programs, and I'm forever grateful that they chose CCBC Essex. They helped take this program to new heights."
Moye finished the season scoring 22.8 points per game (1st in conference, 3rd NJCAA Division II) and averaged 6.7 assists (5th in conference, 3rd NJCAA Division II). Her personal season highlight came on January 29th when Moye set NJCAA records for points and made field goals in a game with 81 against Northern Virginia on 32-of-56 shooting.
Gagan was the team's captain and averaged 16.8 points per game on 41.2% shooting overall and 36.9% from three-point range. She also averaged 4.3 steals per game, which ranked 2nd in Maryland Juco and 5th in NJCAA Division II.
Flynn averaged nearly a double-double for the season on 9.4 points per game and 10.1 rebounds. Her 3.8 blocks per game were 2nd in the conference and 7th in NJCAA Division II.
All three student-athletes earned All-Maryland Juco Conference honors, with Moye and Gagan on the first team and Flynn honorable mention. And all three have multiple NCAA Division I offers on the table.
The Knights second loss of the season came on December 14 against Niagara County. It was their last defeat of the season.
CCBC Essex won the Title IX Classic (December 27-29) in D.C., defeating conference foes Cecil, Frederick and CCBC Catonsville. Moye was named tournament MVP.
Seney's squad scored 100 points or more seven times in its last 14 games, including a season-high 139 against Northern Virginia.
"To say we had a historic year is an understatement," Seney said. "The sky isn't the limit. I think we are limitless in our future possibilities."
*John Mead contributed to this article.