Chipola Coach Greg Franklin In Muhlenberg, Ky Hall of Fame

GREENVILLE, Ky. (11/4/19) — Greg Franklin, Chipola College Women’s Basketball Coach, will be inducted into the Muhlenberg County Athletic Hall of Fame on Nov. 16.

Franklin was the 1989 Central City all-state selection scored 2,233 points in his stellar high school career, which is Top 10 all-time in Muhlenberg County history. He helped lead the Golden Tide to the 1989 3rd Region championship.

Franklin starred collegiately at Austin Peay where he earned all-Ohio Valley Conference honors as a junior and senior and all-OVC Freshman Team honors and Co-Freshman of the Year honors in his first season. He scored 1,312 points in his four seasons for the Govs. Franklin has also enjoyed a stellar coaching career with successful stints at Southeastern Illinois College, Mississippi State University, and Chipola College, where he led the Lady Indians to a National Championship in 2015 and was named NJCAA, FCSAA, and Panhandle Coach of the Year.

Franklin’s Chipola career has been nothing short of amazing. His 2015-16 squad finished 23-5 overall after falling in the semi-finals of the NJCAA Region VIII/FCSAA Championship. Franklin led the Lady Indians to a National Championship in 2015, and was named NJCAA, FCSAA, and Panhandle Coach of the Year.  The 2014-15 Lady Indians (34-1) captured the college’s first ever national women’s basketball title with a 54-46 win over previously unbeaten Hutchinson (36-1). Evelyn Akhator was named Tournament MVP, an NJCAA All-American, and finished with the new NJCAA Season Record of 584 Rebounds. She moved on to the University of Kentucky and was drafted third overall in the first round of the 2017 WNBA Draft. Franklin also coached WNBA player Amber Holt at Southeastern Illinois Community College. She was picked ninth overall in the first round by the Connecticut Sun and was recently inducted into the NJCAA Hall of Fame.

Franklin’s 2014 team became the first Chipola squad to capture the Panhandle Conference title by going undefeated in conference play (12-0). The 2014 squad won the NJCAA Region VIII/FCSAA Championship and advanced to the NJCAA Final Four, finishing 3rd. The 2013 team finished as runner-up in the Region VIII Championship and earned an at-large bid to the National Tournament where they finished in the Elite Eight.

Coach Franklin came to Chipola after five seasons as an assistant at Mississippi State University.  He helped MSU claim wins in the NCAA Tournament multiple years, including the program’s first Sweet 16 appearance.

Franklin served in various positions at Southeastern Illinois College starting in 1997 as an assistant men’s coach.  He was named the head women’s coach in 2002-03, and also served as AD. In five seasons at SIC, he posted a 154-25 record and led the 2006-07 squad to fourth place in the National Tournament.

A native of Kentucky, he earned a B.S. at Austin Peay where he played from 1989-1993. He was named All-Ohio Valley Conference three times and finished his college career with 1,000+ points.

Coach Franklin said, “I’ve coached at every level from junior high to NCAA Division 1 and Chipola is the best coaching job I’ve ever had. These are some of the best fans anywhere. Being a competitive guy, I like that the bar is set so high. I like that kind of atmosphere.”

The Muhlenberg Hall of Fame Class of 2019 include eight inductees: Sherman Armstrong, Greg Franklin, Mike Harper, Suzanne Holt Leach, Rick Pannell, Eddie Rhodes, Jerry Shanks, Tammy Kindrick Williams, The Hughes Kirk Tigers 1939-40 Boys’ Basketball Muhlenberg North Stars, 1993-94 Boys’ Basketball.