Coach Rigby hits historic milestone

Head coach Chanda Rigby cemented herself even further into Troy history Wednesday night when her Troy women’s basketball team came back from down 21-points to beat Marshall, capturing her 500th career win.  

“It’s surreal,” said Coach Rigby to Troy Athletics after the win. “There are so many great players, coaches and staff that I could be here for hours talking about them. 

“Tonight was one of my favorite moments and favorite wins, because we showed the Trojan way. No matter what the odds are, you can come back, and that’s what we did.” 

Brady Fitch photo

Chanda Rigby smiles during warm-ups for a game.

The win was Coach Rigby’s 272nd as a Trojan. After an additional win at Coastal Carolina, she now sits only one back from tying Joyce Sorrell for the most wins as a Troy women’s basketball head coach. After a Wednesday matchup against App State, the Trojans hit the road to play Ball State in the second round of the SBC-MAC challenge on Saturday. 

The other 142 wins come from Rigby’s time as head coach at Pensacola State on the JUCO level. She amassed a 69% winning percentage in seven years at the helm for the Lady Pirates, including a 29-5 record in her final season.  

Her final season in Pensacola saw the Lady Pirates make the JUCO playoffs as a four-seed, falling to eventual national champions Trinity Valley in the semifinals before beating Central Arizona in the third-place game.  

The feat and playoff run helped put Rigby’s name in the rafters at Hartsell Arena on the campus of Pensacola State College.  

In her 13 seasons leading the Trojans, Rigby averages 19.6 wins per season, while capturing five Sun Belt Conference titles along the way. Three NCAA tournament appearances and four WNIT appearances help solidify her name near the top of the Trojan record book.  

This continued success makes the Troy women’s basketball team the best team in the Sun Belt Conference, men’s or women’s, in win totals in the past six seasons. The mark officially comes to 134, with Rigby already adding 18 more from the 2025-26 campaign.  

Rigby looks to break the record for most wins by a Troy women’s basketball coach Saturday, Feb. 7 when her Troy team travels to play Ball State in Muncie, Indiana, at noon.