West Palm Beach June 2026

12 W E S T PA L M B E A C H | J U N E 2 0 2 6 COVER FEATURE Palm Beach State College Athletics THE THRILL OF VICTORY PROFILES OF LEADERSHIP - By Dean Glorioso | Photos by PBSC - L ong before ESPN usurped global programming as the Worldwide Leader in Sports , fans were limited to essentially one source for weekend competition and games: ABC’s Wide World of Sports. From Alpine skiing to the Pro Bowler’s Tour to gymnastics, each Saturday broadcast lived up to its self-proclaimed hype: Spanning the globe to bring you the constant variety of sports . The infamous opening included Slovenian ski jumper Vinko Bogataj's now iconic crash, accompanied by Jim McKay’s immortalized voiceover, the agony of defeat. While that line is a harsh reminder of athletic misfortune, it is preceded by its optimistic antithesis, the thrill of victory. With a myriad of advancements and accomplishments, Athletics at Palm Beach State College has joined the Panther pantheon of programs deserving accolades for its commitment to excellence. Competing in the National Junior College Athletics Association (NJCAA), the Palm Beach State Men’s Basketball team spent the majority of this past season as the Division II number one-ranked team in the nation, a tremendous feat amongst 157 teams that has also led to the first state conference championship since 1978. Head Coach Tae Norwood, named the Florida College System Activities Association (FCSAA) Division II Men’s Basketball Gulf South District Coach of the Year, guided his team to