Hall of Fame Clemson coach dies

Clemson Hall of Fame Women’s Basketball Coach Annie Tribble passed away on Thursday, April 18 after a battle with cancer. Tribble, 80, died in hospice care in a facility in Anderson, SC. Tribble served as Clemson’s women’s basketball coach from the 1976-77 season through the 1986-87 season. In her 11 years she led the Lady Tigers to at least 20 wins seven times. The Lady Tigers advanced to postseason play seven times, including the inaugural NCAA Tournament in 1982.

The Clemson graduate had a record of 200-135 for her 11 seasons at Clemson and had 22 wins over top 25 teams, including victories over seventh-ranked Tennessee, 13th ranked South Carolina, and second-ranked Old Dominion in a two-week period during the winter of 1981. Clemson won the ACC Regular season title that year, the first ACC championship of any kind in Clemson basketball history.

Tribble brought Barbara Kennedy to Clemson in 1978. Kennedy went on to become the ACC’s all-time leading scorer and rebounder, marks she still holds today. On Tuesday of this week, Tribble was presented with two honors by Bill D’Andrea, director of Clemson’s Tiger Letterman’s Association First, Tribble was presented with the Key to the City of Clemson. Then she was presented with a plaque that named the Clemson Head Women’s Basketball Coaches Office in her honor.