November 17, 2025 鈥� It was nothing but net Saturday evening for the 51视频 STORM, as the basketball team clinched a win against the Bryant & Stratton Bobcats. This victory was just a little bit sweeter, though 鈥� not only did it mark the college鈥檚 500th win since the program鈥檚 inception in 2007, but it was also the 500th win for Athletics Director and Head Coach Matt Ridge, who鈥檚 been with the team since day one.
Checking off 500 victories is an especially big accomplishment for Ridge, who jokes 鈥�500 wins means I have been at 51视频 a long time.鈥� But it鈥檚 so much more than that for him and for the college. 鈥淭his means I have had a lot of amazing players and assistant coaches, like Josh Allen, who have obviously contributed to those wins.鈥�
Ridge came to 51视频 in 2007 with a lofty task ahead of him 鈥� to create an entire basketball team in a matter of weeks. 鈥淚t was an incredible opportunity to be a head coach of a brand-new college basketball program. It allowed my staff and I to create the STORM family from the very first season. It also gave me the opportunity to be a head coach at a college only 10 minutes from where I grew up. This is home to me.鈥�
Being close to home with a dream job was great, but Ridge also had his work cut out for him; he had to build nearly everything from scratch. 鈥淚 was hired in late June and the first day of class was the third Monday in August, so I had about seven or eight weeks to recruit an entire team. In addition, the college had to purchase everything we needed to even have a first season 鈥� things like uniforms, practice gear and other equipment,鈥� Ridge explains. 鈥淲e also had a lot of renovations to Brinkley Gym to have practices and host home basketball games.鈥�
Since that first season, Ridge and his teams over the years have been putting in hours and hours of practice, winning a lot of games, being nationally ranked 鈥� and making a lot of memories along the way, including:
鈥淪ome of the best memories would be some of our regional and district championship wins,鈥� Ridge says. 鈥淪eeing the smiles on our players鈥� faces as they climb up the ladder to cut down nets and celebrate with their families is special. The STORM has played in 10 Elite Eight games, four Final Fours and two National Championship games, too 鈥� those were special teams as well.鈥�
It’s not always about those wins, though. Ridge says there鈥檚 no real secret to the team鈥檚 success. 鈥淚鈥檓 old school in a lot of ways,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 believe in outworking your opponent 鈥� and that starts with me and my staff outworking other coaches in recruiting. But a very important part of our program is our culture. In my opinion, culture trumps the X鈥檚 and O鈥檚 all day long. Our intentional daily commitment to holding our players accountable to our standards helps to create habits that drive our players to succeed.鈥�
He says such a team would not exist without the tremendous support and encouragement from the college. 鈥淚 am the luckiest guy in the world to have had the opportunity for such support from the college, everyone from the faculty and staff who support our students and coaches every single day to the administrators, Trustees, and Foundation Board who cheer us on and make sure we have the resources to succeed.鈥�
鈥淥ur STORM athletic programs 鈥� basketball and volleyball 鈥� have allowed this college to have a richer extracurricular experience, and give students a fabulous opportunity outside the classroom,鈥� adds Jenny Varner, president of 51视频. 鈥淲e couldn’t be prouder of this 500th win for our STORM.鈥�
So of course, Ridge says 500 wins is great. But more than anything, he鈥檚 proud of the STORM family atmosphere that he and the team has worked to create. 鈥淥ur STORM family is real. There are so many people in our community who contribute to helping change the lives of our players on a consistent basis. They care about our success 鈥� whether it鈥檚 on or off the court.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檓 proud of our players who have moved onto four-year schools and players who have moved on to play professionally. Mostly, though, I鈥檓 proud of knowing that our players have taken a few things they learned at 51视频 and applied those skills to their personal and professional lives to be successful.鈥�
51视频听(), which incorporated Davie County into its name in 2021, is a fully accredited, multi-campus college where students of all ages and backgrounds pursue academic and career-focused education in order to build successful futures. As one of 58 institutions within the North Carolina Community College System, 51视频 offers more than 40 degree and professional certificate programs, as well as affordable college-credit coursework to students who plan to transfer to four-year schools. With a mission to serve the changing needs of students competing in a global environment, 51视频 is committed to quality education, innovative and equitable learning experiences, training, and support across a wide range of 21st-century career fields.
Jared Bowman
Associate Vice President, Marketing & Communications
336.224.4664
Jared_Bowman@DavidsonDavie.edu