- Nell Fortner
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Nell Fortner Sport(s) Women's college basketball Current position Title Head coach Team Auburn University Record 101-57 Biographical details Born March 3, 1959 Place of birth Jackson, Mississippi Playing career 1978-1982 Texas Longhorns Coaching career (HC unless noted) 1983-1986
1986-1990
1990-1995
1996-1997
1997-2000
1999-2003
2004-currentKilleen High School
Stephen F. Austin (Asst)
Louisiana Tech (Asst)
Purdue University
USA Basketball
Indiana Fever (WNBA)
Auburn UniversityHead coaching record Overall 118-68 (.634) Accomplishments and honors Championships 1997 Big Ten Conference Champion
2008 Southeastern Conference ChampionAwards 1997 National Coach of the Year (Basketball Times)
1997 Big Ten Coach of the Year
2000 USA Basketball Coach of the Year
2008 SEC Coach of the YearOlympic medal record Women's Basketball Gold 2000 Team Competition Nell Fortner (born March 3, 1959 in Jackson, Mississippi) is the current women's college basketball coach at Auburn. She is most well known for leading the 2000 Olympics team to a gold medal. She has received numerous awards including the 1997 National Coach of the Year, the 2000 USA Basketball Coach of the Year and the 2008 SEC Coach of the Year. In November 2001, she was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame.
Fortner served as a TV analyst for ESPN since 2001 during the winter offseason through the NCAA Tournament. She ceased serving in that position upon returning to college coaching at Auburn.
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Playing career
Fortner is a graduate of New Braunfels High School where she was an all-state basketball selection and a Parade All-American. She won a dual scholarship in basketball and volleyball to the University of Texas, where she played from 1978-81. As a starter under coach Jody Conradt, the basketball team compiled a 127-26 record in her 4 seasons. She led Texas to its first national ranking in women’s basketball and a seventh-place finish at the AIAW national tournament. Her 1,466 career points are among the top scoring leaders in school history, and her 142 games played rank her fourth in Texas history. In addition to playing basketball for the Longhorns, she also played for the Texas volleyball team, where, as a middle hitter, she helped lead the Texas volleyball team to the 1981 AIAW National Championship.
While a freshman at UT, Fortner made her USA Basketball debut as a member of the 1978 U.S. Olympic Festival South team, winning a silver medal.
Fortner was appointed to the University of Texas Women’s Athletics Wall of Honor in November 2001, and was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame during the same month.
Coaching career
Fortner has over two decades of experience coaching at the high school, college, pro and international levels. She began her coaching career in the 1983-84 season as the girls basketball coach at Killeen High School in Texas. She turned to the college ranks as a graduate assistant under Gary Blair at Stephen F. Austin during the 1986-87 campaign while completing a master’s degree in education. She stayed at SFA for three more seasons as an assistant coach, helping guide the Ladyjacks to a remarkable 87-12 (.879) record and three straight NCAA Tournament appearances. In 2007, Fortner was honored by Stephen F. Austin with the Distinguished Alumnus Award.
Prior to the 1990-91 NCAA season, Fortner was hired by Hall of Fame coach Leon Barmore at Louisiana Tech, where she spent five years as an assistant coach from 1990-1995. During her tenure at the school, the Lady Techsters compiled a 123-37 (.794) record and made five straight NCAA Tournament appearances, including a trip to the national championship game in 1994.
When Lin Dunn was fired from Purdue University, Fortner was hired to replace her as head coach. In her first year, Fortner led a Purdue team that returned just four players to a Big Ten regular-season conference title in 1996-97, going 17-11 overall and 12-4 in conference play. The season ended in an overtime loss in the second round of the NCAA tournament to #2 ranked Old Dominion, the eventual runner-up.[1] Fortner's efforts earned her Big Ten Coach of the Year honors. She was also named the National Coach of the Year by the Basketball Times. Fortner left the Boilermakers after one season upon being appointed coach of the U.S. women's national team.
National team
Beginning in summer 1995, Fortner took a position with USA Basketball, serving as an assistant coach for two seasons under Tara VanDerveer. Team USA posted an amazing 52-0 run that culminated with a gold medal at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. On April 1, 1997, Fortner was named to succeed VanDerveer as the U.S. head coach.[2] She led the team to win gold medals at the 1998 FIBA World Championship and 2000 Olympic Games. Fortner was named the 2000 USA Basketball Coach of the Year. She led the team to a 101-14 (.878) record, the most wins of any coach in Women's USA Basketball history.[3]
WNBA
On August 17, 1999, Fortner was named the first head coach and general manager of the expansion franchise Indiana Fever of the Women's National Basketball Association.[4] However, as she was already committed to her post as the coach of the United States Olympic Team, she continued coaching Team USA through the 2000 Olympic Games. Assistant coach Anne Donovan served as interim head coach during the 2000 season before Fortner joined the Fever for the 2001 campaign.[4] She lifted the upstart franchise during the 2002 season to a .500 record and a playoff win in the club’s first post-season appearance. She resigned following the 2003 season. During her time in the WNBA, Fortner compiled a 42-56 record.
Auburn
On April 22, 2004, Nell Fortner was named the fifth head coach in Auburn Tigers women's basketball history.[2] [5] She replaces Joe Ciampi, who retired after his 25th season with a school-record 568 victories. Fortner was named the SEC Coach of the Year for the 2008-09 regular season, which saw her team start 20-0 before finishing 27-2 overall and 12-2 in the SEC to win the Southeastern Conference title.[6]
Head coaching record
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason Purdue University (Big Ten Conference) (1996–1997) 1996–1997 Purdue 17-11 12-4 T-1st NCAA Second Round Purdue Boilermakers: 17-11 12-4 Auburn Tigers (Southeastern Conference) (2004–present) 2004–2005 Auburn 16-13 6-8 T-6th 2005–2006 Auburn 14-15 4-10 10th 2006–2007 Auburn 21-13 6-8 9th NIT Third Round 2007–2008 Auburn 20-12 7-7 6th NCAA First Round 2008–2009 Auburn 30-4 12-2 1st NCAA Second Round 2009–2010 Auburn 15-16 5-11 10th Auburn Tigers: 116-73 40-46 Total: 133-84 National Champion Conference Regular Season Champion Conference Tournament Champion
Conference Regular Season & Conference Tournament Champion Conference Division ChampionReferences
- ^ "1996-97 Facts & Figures, Stats & Stories". PurdueSports.com. 1997. http://www.purduesports.com/sports/w-baskbl/archive/pur-w-baskbl-96final.html. Retrieved 2009-03-07.
- ^ a b "Fortner hired to lead women's basketball". Auburn.edu. 2004-05-19. http://www.ocm.auburn.edu/ecommons/051904/story11.html.
- ^ "Nothin' But Nell". Indianapolis Woman. 2001-06-01. http://www.indianapoliswoman.com/covergallery/01/june.asp.
- ^ a b "Fever Franchise History". WNBA.com. http://www.wnba.com/fever/fanzone/Fever_History.html. Retrieved 2009-03-07.
- ^ "Auburn hires Fortner as women's basketball coach". USA Today. 2004-04-22. http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/womensbasketball/2004-04-22-roundup_x.htm.
- ^ "SEC CHAMPS: Auburn, Nell Fortner celebrate women's basketball title in style". Birmingham News. 2009-03-01. http://blog.al.com/goldmine/2009/03/nell_fortner_was_sporting_the.html.
External links
Current women's basketball head coaches of the Southeastern Conference Wendell Hudson (Alabama) • Tom Collen (Arkansas) • Nell Fortner (Auburn) • Amanda Butler (Florida • Andy Landers (Georgia) • Matthew Mitchell (Kentucky) • Nikki Caldwell (LSU) • Renee Ladner (Ole Miss) • Sharon Fanning (Mississippi State) • Dawn Staley (South Carolina) • Pat Summitt (Tennessee) • Melanie Balcomb (Vanderbilt)
Athletics Auburn Tigers • Football • Men's Basketball • Swimming and Diving
Rivalries: Iron Bowl • Deep South's Oldest Rivalry • Tiger Bowl
Facilities: Jordan–Hare Stadium • Samford Stadium-Hitchcock Field at Plainsman Park • Beard–Eaves–Memorial Coliseum • Auburn Arena
People: Gene Chizik • Nell Fortner • Brett Hawke • Jay Jacobs • Richard QuickCampus Student life Traditions Auburn University traditions • Aubie • Tiger Walk • Toomer's Corner • War Eagle
Outreach Indiana Fever Founded in 2000 • Based in Indianapolis, Indiana The Franchise Franchise • Most recent seasonArenas Head Coaches Administration Owner: Herbert and Melvin Simon • Herbert Simon
General Manager: Kelly KrauskopfAll-Stars Seasons Playoff Appearances 2002 • 2005 • 2006 • 2007 • 2008 • 2009 • 2010 • 2011Conference Titles 2009WNBA Titles NoneRivals Media TV: FS Indiana (FS-I) • Radio: WFNI (The Fan) • Announcers: Debbie Antonelli, Chris DenariUnited States women's squad – 2000 Summer Olympics – Gold medal Categories:- Texas Sports Hall of Fame
- Indiana Fever coaches
- Auburn Tigers women's basketball coaches
- Parade High School All-Americans (girls' basketball)
- Purdue Boilermakers women's basketball coaches
- Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters basketball coaches
- Stephen F. Austin Ladyjacks basketball coaches
- Texas Longhorns women's basketball players
- 1959 births
- Living people
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