Distinguished multi-sport championship coach at Hickory, Newton County, Clinton, and SE Lauderdale, Coach Mack Fanning is a native of Meridian who played football, basketball, and baseball for Hickory High and graduated from Mississippi College in 1968. His coaching career spans 37 years. He guided Hickory football team to a mark of 73-46-2 and three Cherokee Conference titles in 1971, 1972, & 1979. Mack coached the Hickory boys basketball team to a record of 28-22 and the girls to a mark of 35-22. He led baseball team at Hickory to 200-134 record and state titles in 1981 and 1983 along with 7 district crowns, 3 Cherokee Conference titles, and 2 South State championships. Coach Fanning coached Newton County High baseball team to a mark of 179-85 including 2 district titles and the 1999 South State title. He is nationally recognized as the state’s premier slow and fast pitch softball coach. He led Newton County to state titles in slow pitch in 1992 and 2001 and fast pitch crowns in 2000, 2002, and 2003. Overall, his teams have won 7 state championships and baseball and softball. In all sports, he has coached 1,595 games and his teams have won 1,096 contests with 495 losses and 5 ties. 3-time Mack has been selected as Star Teacher. He was an All-Star baseball coach in 1981 & 1987, All-Star softball coach in 1994. Coach Fanning was selected Coach of the Year on five occasions by MAC and Cherokee Conference. He is a past president of Crossroads Diamond Club and a Longtime member of the MAC, MHSAA, and American Baseball Coaches Association. The softball field at Newton County is named in his honor. Coach Fanning also served in the MS National Guard for 33 years from 1971 to 2006.