Nell Fortner Biography

Nell Fortner is a retired American women's basketball coach renowned for leading the U.S. women’s national team to a gold medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and five NCAA schools to achieve postseason success. Born in Jackson, Mississippi, Fortner was a dual-sport athlete who earned a volleyball and basketball scholarship to the University of Texas at Austin.

She started her coaching career at the high school level before serving as an assistant at Stephen F. Austin and Louisiana Tech, contributing to five NCAA Tournament appearances. Her first head coaching job was at Purdue (1996-1997), where she won a Big Ten title and was named Coach of the Year. She moved on to the SEC, where she coached at Auburn (2004-2012), securing the 2009 SEC championship, and Georgia Tech (2019–2025), leading to three NCAA Tournament appearances, including a 2021 Sweet 16 run.

Fortner also coached in the WNBA, leading the Indiana Fever for three seasons before joining ESPN as an analyst. She was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame and retired from coaching in 2025. 

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