CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – Austin Peay State University today officially introduced Roland Fanning as the team’s next head coach. Austin Peay Athletics held an introduction ceremony to welcome the program’s 12th head coach at Raymond C. Hand Park.
Fanning said the opportunity has been “15 years in the making.” This is his first head coaching position, but he has quite the resume as a team assistant. Fanning spent time coaching at schools such as Arkansas-Little Rock, Kentucky and most recently at Oklahoma State. He spent this past season as the Cowboys’ director of Player Development.
Fanning has a record of helping student-athletes develop into top-tier players. According to Austin Peay Athletics, he has helped produce two conference Player of the Year Award winners and 21 All-Americans, and 56 of his former players were selected in the MLB Draft.
Fanning thanked everyone who helped him get to this point in his career. This included his wife, parents, in-laws, grandparents, previous coaching staffs’ and Austin Peay Athletics.
He was adamant that Austin Peay and Clarksville will not only get the best out of him, but every single player who represents the baseball team as well. He also said he and his family look forward to representing the Governors on and off the field.
Fanning will travel back to Stillwater for one last NCAA tournament appearance with Oklahoma State. The Cowboys are ranked seventh overall seed entering tournament play. Oklahoma State is scheduled to face Missouri State in the opening round.