When Jacksonville University hired Jordan Mincy as its 17th head coach in program history, it completed a whirlwind of a process during a year that had already proved to be extraordinary.

The day Mincy spoke at his introductory press conference, he spoke to the initial reasons about why he took the role and what he wanted to accomplish. Seven months later, evidence of the groundwork of what Athletic Director Alex Ricker-Gilbert had in mind when he made the choice to hire the young Florida assistant, who had been recognized by ESPN as the top assistant coach by ESPN in its "40 Under 40" list, is apparent. 
 
This is the first part of a three-part series highlighting the work that has been done to build back the proud JU basketball program.
 
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Relationships. That is the word one hears most when folks talk about Head Coach Jordan Mincy and what he brings to the table since being hired in March of 2021 to head the men's basketball program at JU. On the surface level, that is what he was hired to do. But hear anyone mention what has stood out to them over the last seven months, it is the relationships that have been established, involving players, coaches, campus and the community.
 
For anyone who knows Mincy, his ability to personally connect comes as no surprise.
 
"Everybody I talked to, and I talked to several dozen people, from the beat writer, to his college coach, to gameday staffers at Florida, said the same thing," said Athletic Director Alex Ricker-Gilbert. "That he is the most genuine guy in the world and that he is really going to love these kids."
 
How did Mincy separate himself from the pack that was considered for the position? According to Ricker-Gilbert, it was what Mincy did not do during the hiring process that propelled him to the top of the list.
 
"Jordan didn't talk about Jordan Mincy, he talked about other people and how he was able to impact others and how they were able to impact him," said Ricker-Gilbert. "That was very different. He was still selling his body of work, but it was through the lens of selflessness."
 
On the other side, why was JU the right place at the right time for Mincy?
 
"It's a place that feels like home. Jacksonville as a city feels a lot like Memphis, Tennessee, where I was born and raised."
 
He also highlights an aspect that others have posed as a detriment over the years.
 
"We had the opportunity when [Florida] played here in the hurricane relief game [in 2017] and it gave me a taste of the environment," Mincy recalls. "Being able to see [Swisher] gym, how lively the environment was. You look at it and you say 'wow, this has a chance to be special'."
Students and fans that have been here before know that a raucous Swisher Gym provides as unique a home-court advantage as any in the ASUN Conference, something that those at JU are excited about seeing return this season.
 
"Having 1,300 people in that gym should create all the difference in the world," says Ricker-Gilbert. "For the 15 games we have a year in that gym, it should be an advantage."
 
While elements of the basketball part of the job were understood, a lot of what Mincy has experienced since his hiring has occurred off the floor, as he and his players become more ingrained in the very fabric of the JU community and its close-knit campus experience. One of the aspects that has impressed him the most is how the Dolphin "family" has welcomed him with open arms. 
 
"People always use the word family, and a lot of times that is cliché, but being here you have a family feel and it starts with the amount of alums who work on campus, starting with our President [Tim Cost]," said Mincy. "Seeing that alums come back and work, not just in athletics, but in various positions on campus shows the devotion to this university."
 
As a team, men's basketball has worked to repay that devotion with their counterparts on campus.
 
If you were at a men's lacrosse game last spring, or a volleyball game this fall, you were likely to see a contingency of players there cheering and supporting their fellow student-athletes. The night men's soccer captured a physical and hard-earned win over crosstown rival North Florida in the River City Rumble, the loudest in the stands were men's basketball players, who were also there to greet the victorious side outside their locker room afterward, prompting tweets of thanks from members of men's soccer and Head Coach Mauricio Ruiz for their role in helping secure the win.
 
"Being able to have our guys engaged since day one on campus was huge for us," Mincy said. "Building that family atmosphere and having our guys be around each other constantly has allowed us to do some groundwork as far as building a firm foundation."
 
The involvement has not gone unnoticed by the JU community.
 
"I get comments from faculty and other staff on campus, they're at other program's games, coaches talk about the [positive] interactions they've had," said Ricker-Gilbert. "There is the buy-in to the community, which speaks to the priority this group is going to put on relationships."
 
On the floor, energy and attention to detail have stood out. While it is only in a practice setting, it helps set the tone. The contributions of new Director of Basketball Performance Patrick Lewis in the offseason are apparent, both in the physical nature of the players, but also in how they have been able to prepare and hold up through the grueling months of workouts and preseason practice.
 
Wins and losses will eventually move to the forefront of defining this tenure, as it is Division I basketball, and that is what fans and constituents are most concerned about. As we tick ever closer to the first on-court result of the Mincy era, regardless of the outcome, there has already been a significant statement made about the program and what it values. One of the hallmarks of the program so far has been the saying TRUE. While it is an acronym, standing for Trust the process, Relentless work approach, United decisions and actions and Every detail matters, the basics of it have seeped in to all that the program does, and Mincy hopes that the early effort to establish it pays off once the season starts and beyond.
 
"I just want to see a group of guys that plays hard, has a relentless effort and has a true appreciation for the game. It's early, I don't know how it will translate necessarily into wins and losses, but at the same time, a major win for us is how we approach the game and the amount of appreciation we have for the game of basketball."
 
Men's basketball opens the season at home on Nov. 9 at 7 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at jutickets.universitytickets.com.