Chanda Rigby, the Hall of Fame‑inductee who reshaped women's basketball at the junior‑college level, was honored in 2026 as part of the Pensacola State Athletics Hall of Fame's Class of 2026. Her induction recognizes a career defined by sustained excellence, record‑setting teams, and a pipeline of talent that reached the NCAA Tournament.
Early Years at Pensacola State
From 2005 to 2012 Rigby coached the Pirates, guiding a program that had managed only nine wins in the 2005‑06 season to four consecutive 20‑plus win campaigns. By the 2008‑09 season the team was firmly established as a contender, and in 2010‑11 she orchestrated a near‑perfect 34‑1 record, highlighted by a 34‑game winning streak and a flawless 12‑0 conference slate.
That historic season culminated in the Pirates' first FCSAA Championship in 26 years and a trip to the NJCAA Tournament Final Four. Rigby's ability to turn a struggling program into a powerhouse earned her two Coach of the Year awards — both Panhandle and FCSAA — and produced four All‑FCSAA performers and four NJCAA/WBCA All‑Americans.
A New Chapter at Troy
After departing Pensacola State in 2012, Rigby took the reins of the Troy women's program, where she quickly became the winningest coach in school history. Over the ensuing years she amassed 275 career victories, captured three Sun Belt Tournament titles and three regular‑season championships, and led the Trojans to multiple NCAA Tournament appearances.
Her tenure at Troy was marked by nine postseason berths, ten seasons with at least 20 wins, and a streak of twelve straight top‑four finishes in the regular season. In 2020‑21 she earned Sun Belt Coach of the Year honors after guiding a 22‑6 campaign that included a tournament title and the Sun Belt East Division championship.
Beyond the win column, Rigby's impact is evident in the number of players she developed into All‑Sun Belt honorees, including ten first‑team selections and five individual award winners such as Defensive Player of the Year, Newcomer of the Year, and Sun Belt Player of the Year. Her legacy is further cemented by surpassing Joyce Sorrell as the program's all‑time winningest coach.