Bio

The 2022-2023 season was Chanda Stebbins' 21st as Head Coach of the Santa Fe Women's Basketball Team.

During her tenure at SF, the Saints have gone 303-290, won the Mid-Florida Conference six times and made the state/regional tournament 13 times in the last 17 seasons. Additionally, Stebbins has been named the coach of the year in the Mid-Florida Conference on six occasions. 

Stebbins became the Saints all-time winningest coach with 197 wins on November 1st of 2016, and she earned her 200th win that same season with a win at Eastern Florida on November 22, 2016. Win No. 300 came in a 59-54 victory over FSCJ on the Saints' home floor on Jan. 25. | Story

Under Coach Stebbins, SF has had 16 All-state honors. Prior to Stebbins' arrival, it had been 13 years since a Santa Fe player had been named All-state. 

The women's basketball program has also excelled academically under Stebbins' watch. Since taking over the program in 2002, Stebbins has had over 110 graduates and over 95 players that have accepted scholarship offers to upper division institutions. "Santa Fe's academic credibility, resources, and faculty really have made a difference in the lives of my players and made it possible for them to consider great upper division institutions," Stebbins said. Santa Fe College’s 2015-2017 Number One ranking in the Nation by the Aspen Institute is also something Stebbins points to as a difference maker, “I think being recognized for our student oriented support and tracking, our graduation rates, and our students’ success at their next institution really epitomizes what we are all about here in women’s basketball too.” 2013-14 marked a special year for the Saints as they were recognized nationally as a Top Ten WBCA academic team. The 2014-15 team seemed to follow that up plus some by graduating all 11 players in the sophomore class and posting three NJCAA Academic All-American’s in addition to eight Academic All-State and nine Academic All-Conference recipients. The 2016-17 team bested this mark by having four Academic All-Americans, which is the first time in the history of the program to have four Academic All-American’s in the same year. In total, SF has had 14 academic All-Americans. 

The combined academic and athletic success of Santa Fe Basketball is no more evident than when looking at the matriculation of Steffi Sorensen, Lanita Bartley, and Corey Staples to the home town favorite Gators. Sorensen graduated from Santa Fe in 2008, transferred to UF and started every game for the Gators but one during her career. She also became one of a few Saints including Julie Kongoskov (2006 Grad), Stephanie Ball (2014 Grad), and Areana Davis (2014 Grad) to play professionally overseas. Sorensen since has gone on to work for FOXSports and ESPN as a sports commentator. "I always considered Coach Stebbins a do it all yourself kind of woman. She coaches, teaches, mentors, educates, recruits and does everything she can to help you to succeed and excel after your time at SF on and off the court," said Sorensen. "I give her a lot of credit because there are very few people in this world who do what she does on a daily basis. I owe her a lot because she helped pave the way for my career that is today."

Bartley graduated from Santa Fe in 2010 and the University of Florida in 2012, making the SEC Academic Honor Roll in the process. She started all but two games in her career at UF and led the Gators in assists and steals. Bartley made a huge impact at Santa Fe recording two of the programs four triple doubles and earned a 3.5 GPA while doing it. "We work our players hard. We focus on skills, strength, speed, basketball IQ, and endurance. These five areas drive our workouts, practices, and coaching decisions. I know when a player decides to play at Santa Fe that we will do everything in our power to make sure they are ready for the next level," said Stebbins. Staples continued the SF to UF tradition and joined the Gators during the 2017 through 2019 seasons before becoming a graduate transfer at FAMU. Staples and Gainesville native Deja McPhee as well as St. Augustine native Bree Maxwell have all been inducted in the Santa Fe Student Hall of Fame, a prestigious award reserved for the top 1/10th of 1% of excellent student leaders at Santa Fe. Staples says, “Coach Stebbins and her staff cared about us as players, students, and young women, which afforded me an opportunity to develop my study skills and recreate myself as a basketball player. I am so grateful as SF helped me live out my dream of becoming a Gator.”

Prior to SF

Prior to her start as Head Coach at Santa Fe, Stebbins served as Tammy Ruffian's assistant coach during the 2001-2002 season.

Stebbins received her bachelor's degree in Special Education in May 1997 from the University of Florida, and then from 1997-1999 Stebbins served as head volleyball and assistant basketball coach at P.K. Yonge School for two seasons.  During her coaching career at P.K. Yonge D.R.S. she also was a consultative counselor to students with disabilities before resigning to teach at Chiles Elementary School so she could train for a shot at professional basketball. Stebbins taught at Chiles Elementary School for two years before an injury concluded her professional playing hopes and she accepted the interim head coaching position at Santa Fe.

Playing Career

Stebbins was a two sport athlete at the University of Florida, where she played volleyball and basketball. "I am fortunate that my experience as a Gator taught me what it takes to win in life and on the court," Stebbins said.

Stebbins played volleyball from 1992-95 under Mary Wise. During that time the Gators advanced to two NCAA Final Fours and compiled a record of 130-14 (.903). Stebbins was named to the 1995 SEC Academic Honor Roll in volleyball and basketball.

In her sophomore season of college, Stebbins walked on to Carol Ross' women's basketball squad, on which she also played four years. She was named to the 1996 and 1997 SEC Academic Honor Roll with a 3.55 grade point average in Special Education. The team compiled a record of 91-34 (.728) during Stebbins' playing days. In her senior season, the Lady Gators advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight and lost in the closing seconds to Old Dominion 53-51. 

Stebbins is a native of Muncie, Ind., and attended Delta High School where she lettered in volleyball, basketball and tennis. Stebbins’ prep career is scattered with numerous coaching influences. “I am very fortunate to have learned a lot from my first elementary school coaches, my dad, my middle school coaches, my club coaches in volleyball, my numerous high school coaches and many other coaches who I have been fortunate to have learned from.” She comes from a family of educators and still has strong ties to the Midwest. Following college, Stebbins also played semi-pro basketball for the Florida Fury and played exhibition basketball for the Smokey Mountain Swarm.

Personal

Stebbins resides in Gainesville, Fla. She is still active and attempts triathlons when time permits. Stebbins enjoys Saints and Gator sports, as well as spending time with family and friends. She is a noted speaker and presenter for corporations and conferences such as the AFC (Association of Florida Colleges) and NASPA (National Association of Student Personnel Administrators) on both leadership and student engagement. Stebbins is a member of the AFC Speakers Bureau and is past chair of the Mid Florida Conference Women’s Basketball Coaches as she served in this role for six years. Stebbins also chairs the Academic Strategies Committee for student-athletes at Santa Fe College. Most recently Stebbins completed her master’s degree in Student Personnel in Higher Education with a 4.0 GPA from University of Florida. She hopes to write a book one day entitled, “Children’s Sermons”.