# Sharon Fanning

Sharon Cable Fanning-Otis (born December 15, 1954) is the former women's basketball program head coach at Mississippi State. During her 17-year head coach career with the Bulldogs, then team had a 281–232 (.548) record. During her tenure, she posted 6 winning seasons and 7 postseason appearances. She led MSU to its inaugural appearance in the AP Final Poll, and to its first two 20-win seasons. The 2003 team went 24–8, and finished in the Top 10. For the 2004 season, MSU set a program record for longest winning streak at 12 games. She retired after the 2011–2012 season.
She attended Chattanooga High School, and later University of Tennessee at Chattanooga where she played basketball and volleyball. She started her career as a graduate-assistant coach in 1975 at Tennessee. From 1976 to 1978, she served as the women's volleyball program head coach at UTC; she would serve as women's basketball program head coach until 1987. From 1987 to 1995 she served as the Kentucky Wildcats women's basketball program head coach with an overall career record at 608–457.

## Head coaching record

Statistics overview :
| Season | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason |
| Chattanooga Lady Mocs (Southern Conference) (1976–1987) ||||||
| 1976–77 | Chattanooga | 20–13 | | | |
| 1977–78 | Chattanooga | 19–7 | | | |
| 1978–79 | Chattanooga | 20–13 | 3–0 | | |
| 1979–80 | Chattanooga | 15–13 | 3–1 | | |
| 1980–81 | Chattanooga | 19–9 | 2–1 | | |
| 1981–82 | Chattanooga | 14–17 | 4–2 | | |
| 1982–83 | Chattanooga | 18–11 | 8–2 | | |
| 1983–84 | Chattanooga | 26–5 | 9–1 | | WNIT Finals |
| 1984–85 | Chattanooga | 16–13 | 11–1 | | |
| 1985–86 | Chattanooga | 19–10 | 10–2 | | |
| 1986–87 | Chattanooga | 7–20 | 3–9 | | |
| Chattanooga: | Chattanooga: | 193–131 (.596) | 53– (.736) | | |
| Kentucky Wildcats (SEC) (1987–1995) ||||||
| 1987–88 | Kentucky | 14–15 | 0–9 | | |
| 1988–89 | Kentucky | 12–16 | 3–6 | | |
| 1989–90 | Kentucky | 23–8 | 3–6 | | WNIT Champions |
| 1990–91 | Kentucky | 20–9 | 4–5 | | NCAA First Round |
| 1991–92 | Kentucky | 16–14 | 5–6 | | |
| 1992–93 | Kentucky | 18–10 | 5–6 | | |
| 1993–94 | Kentucky | 17–11 | 5–6 | | |
| 1994–95 | Kentucky | 14–14 | 4–7 | | |
| Kentucky: | Kentucky: | 134–97 (.580) | 29–51 (.363) | | |
| Mississippi State (SEC) (1995–2012) ||||||
| 1995–96 | Mississippi State | 13–14 | 4–7 | | |
| 1996–97 | Mississippi State | 11–16 | 1–11 | | |
| 1997–98 | Mississippi State | 14–15 | 4–10 | | WNIT First Round |
| 1998–99 | Mississippi State | 17–11 | 7–7 | | NCAA First Round |
| 1999–00 | Mississippi State | 24–8 | 8–6 | | NCAA Second Round |
| 2000–01 | Mississippi State | 17–14 | 4–10 | | WNIT Quarterfinals |
| 2001–02 | Mississippi State | 19–12 | 8–6 | T-4th | NCAA Second Round |
| 2002–03 | Mississippi State | 24–8 | 10–4 | 3rd | NCAA Second Round |
| 2003–04 | Mississippi State | 14–15 | 7–7 | T-7th | |
| 2004–05 | Mississippi State | 17–11 | 6–8 | 6th | WNIT First Round |
| 2005–06 | Mississippi State | 6–22 | 1–13 | 12th | |
| 2006–07 | Mississippi State | 17–13 | 7–8 | 6th | WNIT Second Round |
| 2007–08 | Mississippi State | 16–15 | 4–10 | 9th | WNIT First Round |
| 2008–09 | Mississippi State | 23–10 | 8–6 | 6th | NCAA Second Round |
| 2009–10 | Mississippi State | 21–12 | 9–7 | T-3rd | NCAA Sweet 16 |
| 2010–11 | Mississippi State | 13–17 | 4–12 | 11th | |
| 2011–12 | Mississippi State | 14–16 | 4–10 | | |
| Mississippi State: | Mississippi State: | 281–232 (.548) | 96–141 (.400) | | |
| Total: | Total: | 608–460 (.569) | | | |
| National champion   Postseason invitational champion   Conference regular season champion   Conference regular season and conference tournament champion  Division regular season champion  Division regular season and conference tournament champion  Conference tournament champion ||||||