Ronny Fisher, who led Presbyterian College to unprecedented success as its head women’s basketball coach for the past eight seasons, has been named head coach at Campbell University, director of athletics Bob Roller announced Tuesday.
Fisher is the fourth head coach of Campbell women’s basketball in the school’s history. He follows former coach Wanda Watkins, who stepped down last month after 35 years of leading the Lady Camels to accept another position within the University.
In leading PC to three winning seasons in the last four years, Fisher was named Big South Conference Coach of the year in 2012-13 as he led his Blue Hose team to a 19-12 record and a 14-4 mark in the conference. That team earned a post-season bid to the Women’s Basketball Invitational, its first-post season appearance since joining the Big South in 2007.
“While making contacts and calls over the past three weeks, Ronny’s name continually came up among peers as one who has achieved so much during his time at Presbyterian,” Roller said. “It was always evident to me when Campbell played PC how incredibly well-coached his teams were and tenacious with their defense and execution. We are extremely excited to see him begin the process of executing that plan here as he assembles a staff and begins the recruiting process immediately.”
Fisher took over as PC head women’s coach in 2008 after serving as assistant coach for the men’s team for 11 seasons. He was the associate head coach for current PC men’s coach Gregg Nibert and helped lead the Blue Hose team in its transition from NCAA Division II to Division I.
Among the many milestones achieved by the PC women’s team during Fisher’s tenure were a record four Big South all-conference selections this past season, including the Big South Conference freshman of the year for the second straight year. PC finished the 2015-16 season with an 18-13 record (13-7 in the BSC) and advanced to the semifinals of the conference tournament, losing to eventual champion UNC Asheville. Fisher’s most recent PC team swept the season series with Liberty and Winthrop for the first time in school history.
“I am humbled and honored to be named the next Women’s Basketball Coach at Campbell University,” said Fisher. “This is truly a special place and I am blessed to be offered the opportunity to lead this program. Julie and I were so impressed with the people we were able to meet and with the Campbell community in general. We left here knowing this is exactly where we wanted to be.
“I want to thank Dr. Creed, Bob Roller and the Campbell administration for entrusting me with this responsibility. I want to thank Wanda Watkins for all that she has done for Campbell University and the sport of women’s basketball. The potential for this program is unlimited and I can’t wait to begin working to realize that potential.
A native of Fairview, N.C., Fisher is a 1990 graduate of Furman University, where he served as a student assistant coach under Butch Estes. After earning his B.A. in physical education in 1990, he worked as assistant men’s coach at Presbyterian from 1990-93 and again from 2000-07 before being promoted to associate head coach in 2007-08.
He also served as assistant coach at North Greenville University and as head coach at Conway (S.C.) High School, where his team reached the quarterfinals of the state tournament.
After Campbell re-joined the Big South Conference in 2011-12, Fisher led the Blue Hose to six victories in 10 meetings with the Camels, including a sweep of the season series this year.
Fisher is married to the former Julie Dickert of Taylors, S.C. She is a former basketball player at Charleston Southern University. The Fishers are parents of two sons, Harrison and Jake, and a daughter, Sydney.
Fisher takes over a Campbell program that has reached its conference championship game 10 times since the Big South first crowned a women’s basketball champion in 1987. Over the last five years, Campbell has won 89 games and advanced in the league tournament four times.
http://www.gocamels.com/sports/wbkb/2015-16/releases/20160405joq027
Tagged with: DI Head Coach
