Not much was known about a young man named Joclin Julmist from the Grand Bahamas when he enrolled at the college in the fall of 1995. The same wouldn’t be said five years later when he graduated.
After redshirting his first year due to a serious knee injury, the muscular power forward started to display a penchant for rebounding that all but a few observers of Mustang basketball had ever seen. His rise to become, arguably, the greatest rebounder in the history of the college started in 1996-97 when strong inside position and a ferocious pursuit for the missed shot pushed him to the best rebounding season (11rpg, 352 rebounds) at the college in 25 years as the Mustangs reached the NAIA National Tournament for the fourth consecutive year. Overlooked but not underappreciated were his quick hands and excellent timing that led to a school-record 84 steals.
A year later, he followed up that performance with an even stronger sophomore campaign (10.9rpg, 380 rebounds) that culminated in NAIA Honorable Mention All-American honors and the team’s fifth straight trip to the nationals. In two short seasons, he had developed into one of the dominant power forwards in the country and already stood ninth on the college’s all-time rebounding list. And, he had time to lead the squad in steals (76) once again.
In 1998-99, he elevated his game to a prolific level with another brilliant season on the boards, a major reason why the Mustangs advanced to the round of 16 at the NAIA National Tournament. His 464 rebounds (13.3rpg) led the NAIA and was the second-best mark at any collegiate level in the United States. On the way to repeat All-American accolades, he finished in the rebounding top five for the third consecutive season and led the team in rebounding an astounding 32 times, including a jaw-dropping, unforgettable 29-rebound effort against UC San Diego.
All of that led up to a memorable senior campaign that capped one of the finest careers in the history of the program. But, it didn’t start well for Julmist who broke his foot in training camp, costing him the first eight games of the season and, ultimately, a shot at the career rebounding record. However, when he did return, he did so with a vengeance, corralling every missed shot in sight once again and leading the Mustangs to a 28-6 record, a No. 9 national ranking, a seventh consecutive national tournament appearance, and an Elite Eight finish. He became the first three-time All-American in college history following his NAIA Third-Team selection and was the first-ever Mustang to win a statistical title, grabbing a nation-best 14.2 rebounds per game. He finished his stellar career as the third-best rebounder (1,565) in school history and the all-time steals leader (295).
Following graduation in the spring of 2000 with a degree in Liberal Studies, Julmist became a counselor at Sunshine Daycare and Legacy Christian Academy where he worked from 2001-07. During part of that time (2003-06), he was part of Coach Bill Oates’ men’s basketball staff and worked on his credential which he completed in the spring of 2007.
However, the greatest thrill of that period of his life was his marriage to Nikki Hover on the final day of 2002. That relationship has produced four wonderful children: Jayla, Jelissa, Jericho, and Jordyn.
After he completed his credential at TMC, Joclin and Nikki moved to Washington where he was hired at Mary Knight High School in Elma. For the past five years, he has taught physical education, health, history, and Current World Problems.
The Julmist family is currently worshiping at Calvary Chapel in Sequim.
