LEBANON -- It's a birthday present Courtney McFarlin will never forget. Early Monday, on her 28th birthday, McFarlin was promoted to head girls basketball coach at Lebanon High School.

McFarlin, a former Class AAA Miss Basketball finalist at Mt. Juliet, takes over for Larry Inman who resigned a little over a week ago to take the head coaching reins at Tennessee State University.

"Courtney has been with us for two years and worked side by side with Coach Inman," said LHS principal Myra Sloan. "She knows all of the girls and they respect her as a person and as a coach.

"Her work ethic is next to none and she can pick up right where Coach Inman left off. The program will not miss a beat under Courtney's direction. We are very fortunate to have her leading the way at LHS."

After a stellar hoops career at Mt. Juliet High, McFarlin played at Tennessee Tech for former TTU coach Bill Worrell. Upon graduation, she spent two years in the Lebanon Special Schools District as a teacher / assistant basketball coach at Baird Middle School before joining Inman's staff at Lebanon High.

"I am so appreciative of the confidence our administration has shown in me," McFarlin said earlier today. "I'm feel like Coach Inman has passed a wealth of knowledge along to me, I feel like I'm ready."

McFarlin takes over a Devilette program that went 30-26 over the past two seasons. She is a 2002 graduate of Mt. Juliet High School where she played for Chris Fryer.

"Looking back, I learned alot about the game of basketball, teamwork and myself playing for Coach Fryer," McFarlin said. "I consider Coach Fryer and Coach (John) Simms as mentors."

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