- O tto ▁One ▁of ▁the ▁players ▁Keith ▁rec ru ited ▁was ▁Ch att ano oga ▁High ▁School ▁stand out ▁Sh aron ▁F anning , ▁who ▁also ▁played ▁and ▁later ▁co ached ▁both ▁UTC ' s ▁vol ley ball ▁( until ▁ 1 9 7 8 ) ▁and ▁women ' s ▁basketball ▁teams . ▁F anning ▁also ▁renamed ▁the ▁M oc ettes ▁as ▁the ▁Lady ▁M ocs . ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 2 , ▁the ▁NCAA ▁began ▁hosting ▁women ' s ▁champion ships . ▁The ▁Lady ▁M ocs ▁joined ▁the ▁Southern ▁Conference , ▁which ▁only ▁included ▁East ▁Tennessee ▁State , ▁Marshall ▁and ▁App al ach ian ▁State ▁University . ▁UTC ▁claimed ▁the ▁first ▁regular ▁season ▁title ▁that ▁year ▁and ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁win ▁five ▁straight ▁titles ▁under ▁F anning ' s ▁leadership . ▁She ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁become ▁an ▁eight - year ▁head ▁coach ▁for ▁the ▁Kentucky ▁Wild c ats ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 7 ▁and ▁retired ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁following ▁a ▁ 1 7 - year ▁co aching ▁career ▁with ▁the ▁Mississippi ▁State ▁Lady ▁Bul ld ogs . ▁ ▁Craig ▁Par rott ▁Craig ▁Par rott ▁had ▁spent ▁several ▁years ▁co aching ▁high ▁school ▁basketball ▁teams ▁before ▁F anning ▁offered ▁him ▁an ▁assistant ▁co aching ▁job ▁at ▁UTC ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 6 . ▁The ▁following ▁year , ▁F anning ▁depart ed ▁for ▁Kentucky ▁and ▁Par rott ▁was ▁asked ▁to ▁fill ▁the ▁position . ▁He ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁coach ▁to ▁take ▁the ▁program ▁to ▁the ▁NCAA