Eckerd Athletics Mourns the Passing of The Legendary James R. Harley

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Former Eckerd College Athletic Director, Men's Basketball Coach, mentor, and friend James R. Harley passed away on Sept. 27 in Soperton, Georgia.

Eckerd Athletics mourns his passing and celebrates his legacy as a Triton—which will last forever. Harley stewarded generations of student-athletes with his commitment to the principles of sportsmanship, leadership, grit, and character. 

"Coach Harley was the most caring individual I have ever met. He was a servant leader in every sense of the word. A true gentleman and a fierce competitor. He was a trailblazer, and his impact will be felt by generations of Tritons," stated Director of Athletics Tom Ryan '87, who was coach Harley's successor. 

Jim Harley is synonymous with Eckerd College and Division II, having built the foundation of Eckerd Athletics, the Sunshine State Conference, and Division II. He served on the Tritons' sidelines for 32 years as the head men's basketball coach (1963–1996) and spent 39 years as athletic director (1963–2002). 

"Eckerd College Athletics lost a great man today. He gave all of us an opportunity to have a chance to coach and make people better. The thing I remember most about Coach Harley is, as he told me when I was a young coach, 'make sure that when people leave you, you make them feel like it was the best part of their day.' I'll always remember that. Rest in peace, Coach," expressed Associate Director of Athletics Bill Mathews '79.

On the court, he amassed 421 wins at Eckerd, bringing Eckerd its first SSC regular-season championship in 1994-95 and its first SSC Tournament championship in 1994. He led the Tritons to three NCAA Championship appearances in 1972-73, 1993-94, and 1994-95, building the Tritons into a powerhouse program. 

He was a two-time SSC Coach of the Year (1982-83 and 1991-92) and two-time NABC District Coach of the Year. He also coached four All-Americans during his time on the hardwood. 

Harley is also regarded for his accomplishments off the court, with a nearly perfect graduation rate, being a pioneer in the creation of the Sunshine State Conference, and helping break the color barrier in the South. 

Harley recruited Harry "Big Red" Singletary to Florida Presbyterian (now Eckerd) in 1965. Singletary became the first Black student-athlete to play at a four-year, predominantly-white college in the South. Singletary was among the College's first Black graduates in 1968. 

Singletary and Harley's feat was not easy, as they both received racist chants and hate mail, and teams refused to play against the Tritons, but they pushed forward, defying the odds and creating history. Singletary became the first All-American in Eckerd Athletics history in 1968.

As one of the founding five Sunshine State Conference athletic directors, Harley hosted the first-ever SSC contest on December 3, 1975, on Eckerd's campus. 

Harley was highly respected in the conference and regularly sought after for guidance for the SSC from member institutions as he always did what was fair and right for the conference and its student-athletes, regardless of motives for Eckerd. He was heavily involved in many aspects of the conference, and because of his work and character, he helped the SSC grow into what it is today. He was inducted into the SSC Hall of Fame in 1993.

During his coaching career, all but two four-year players graduated. As athletic director, he guided the Tritons to 21 NCAA Division II postseason appearances, including a baseball national runner-up finish in 1977. 

His impact on Eckerd is celebrated in numerous ways. He was inducted into the Athletics Hall of Fame in 2002; Eckerd's basketball court was named after him in 2010; and the Harley Award, established in 2002, is bestowed upon a male and female senior student-athlete each year, which is the highest honor a Triton can receive for demonstrating leadership and excellence in the classroom, on the field, and in their community. 

Harley played collegiately and graduated from Georgia Southern College while obtaining his master's degree at then-George Peabody, now Vanderbilt University. 

He spent time coaching at Miami-Dade Junior College, Georgia Southern College, and Brewton-Parker Junior College. 

In 2011, Harley was inducted into the Florida Association of Basketball Coaches "Court of Legends" Hall of Fame. 

He was inducted into the Brewton-Parker Junior College Hall of Fame in 1986. 

More information on Coach Harley's service can be found here.