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Sharon Fanning

  • Title
    Head Coach
Hall of Fame Bio

Sharon Cable Fanning-Otis was the second coach in the history of UTC women’s basketball.  After spending the 1975-76 season as a graduate assistant at Tennessee, she took over at her alma mater from Grace Keith and led UTC from 1977-87. 

Cable also played for Keith in the early years of women's basketball at UTC, graduating in 1975.  

A two-time Southern Conference Coach of the Year, Fanning-Otis led the Mocs to three-straight SoCon titles from 1984-86.  Her 1984 team posted a 26-5 overall record and finished runner-up in the WNIT.  That run included a 70-66 win over No. 17 Clemson in the semifinals and a No. 20 final national ranking. 

Fanning-Otis was named head coach at Kentucky for the 1987-88 season.  She coached the Wildcats for eight seasons, posting a 134-97 record.  Her 1989-90 team won the WNIT and she made the NCAA Tournament in 1991. 

She went on to spent 17 seasons at the head coach at Mississippi State from 1996-2012 where she was 281-229.  During her tenure with the Bulldogs, she posted six winning seasons and seven postseason appearances. She led MSU to its inaugural appearance in the AP Final Poll, and to its first two 20-win seasons.