Director of Athletics Josh Whitman has announced the hiring of Nancy Fahey as head women’s basketball coach at the University of Illinois. A member of the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, Fahey comes to Illinois after spending 31 years at Washington University in St. Louis, where she guided the Bears to an NCAA record five Division III National Championships. Fahey becomes the ninth head women’s basketball coach in Illinois history.
“It gives me great pride to welcome my friend and former colleague Nancy Fahey to the Fighting Illini family as the new head coach of our women’s basketball program,” Whitman said. “With a record highlighted by five national championships, 10 Final Fours, nearly 740 wins, and a winning percentage of almost 85%, Nancy’s Hall of Fame coaching career stands among the most accomplished in the history of women’s basketball. What is more compelling to me, however, is her ability to connect with the women on her team, to push them to be better than they ever thought possible, and to help them develop as players, students, and people. Nancy Fahey is a born leader, and she is the among the best basketball coaches I have ever seen. I could not be more excited for her to lead our Fighting Illini program to championship heights.”
Fahey (pronounced: FAY) led the Washington University Bears to 737 victories during her tenure in St. Louis and is the only coach in NCAA Division III history to win five national championships. Fahey led the Bears to four-straight NCAA Division III titles from 1998-2001, with the most recent title coming in 2010. Her teams have advanced to the NCAA Tournament in 29 of her 31 years, and have won at least 19 games in each of the last 30 seasons, including two 30-win campaigns. Fahey guided WashU to an 81-game winning streak from the 1997-98 season to 2001, which stands as the second-longest winning streak in NCAA women’s basketball history.
Under Fahey’s direction, Washington University has garnered 23 University Athletic Association titles, including each of the last four seasons. Her squads have made 10 Final Four appearances, and finished as the NCAA Division III Runner-Up four times (1994, 2007, 2009 and 2011).
“It is such an exciting time in Illinois athletics since Josh has taken the helm,” Fahey said. “Having worked with Josh, I know he believes in doing things with integrity and the right way; I believe in the same things. I want to be a part of helping his vision become a reality. The cornerstone for the success I have experienced in the past has always revolved around the players. Knowing them as people and understanding their dreams and goals both on and off the court are important to me. I truly believe the players who are here and those who have committed to Illinois for next year have the ability to propel us to great heights. They want to be that team that we talk about five years from now. I want to help make that happen for them and for Illinois. Ultimately, we want every little girl, when she is growing up, to dream about Illinois as a place they want to play their college basketball.”
Fahey is the fastest coach in NCAA women’s basketball history to reach 600 wins, doing so in her 706th game during the 2011-12 season, and she ranks sixth among all active NCAA coaches with an .847 (737-133) career winning percentage. Fahey has been named UAA Coach of the Year 20 times during her career and was recognized as the NCAA Division III Central Region Coach of the year 14 times. She has been named NCAA Division III National Coach of the Year four times.
Fahey’s student-athletes have been successful not only on the court but also in the classroom. She has coached 20 All-Americans and 10 Academic All-Americans.
The first NCAA Division III representative to be inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in Knoxville, Tenn., Fahey was also inducted into the Washington University Sports Hall of Fame in 2012, the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 2014 and the St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame in 2016.
Fahey has served three assignments with USA Basketball, most recently working as the lead clinician for the 2016 USA Basketball Women’s U17 World Championship Team Trials. Fahey was the lead clinician at the 2015 USA Women’s U16 National Team Trials and an assistant coach for the 1995 U.S. Olympic Festival South Team.
At Washington University, Fahey also held the position of Assistant Director of Athletics, and she is a member of the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame Board of Directors.
Prior to her tenure at Washington University, Fahey coached at Johnsburg High School in McHenry, Ill., where she guided the Skyhawks to two regional championships, a sectional final, two 20-win seasons and was named the 1986 coach-of-the-year by the Northwest Herald.
Fahey is a 1981 graduate from Wisconsin, where she was a four-year letterwinner. She started two years at point guard for the Badgers, and served as a captain her senior season. She graduated with honors.
Photo Courtesy Illinois Athletics
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