Aaron Fearne

{{short description|Australian basketball player and coach (born 1974)}}

{{Infobox college coach

| name = Aaron Fearne

| image =

| image_size =

| caption =

| current_title = Head Coach

| current_team = Charlotte

| current_conference = The American

| current_record = {{Winning percentage|30|34|record=y}}

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1974|5|30}}{{cite web|url=https://www.coachesdatabase.com/aaron-fearne/|title=Aaron Fearne|website=coachesdatabase.com|access-date=July 29, 2024}}

| birth_place = Sydney, New South Wales

| player_years1 = 1993–1994

| player_team1 = Western Technical

| player_years2 = 1994–1995

| player_team2 = Mid-State Technical

| player_years3 = 1995–1997

| player_team3 = Mayville State

| player_years4 = 1998–2005

| player_team4 = Cairns Marlins

| player_years5 = 1999–2001

| player_team5 = Cairns Taipans

| player_positions = Forward

| coach_years1 = 2001–2009

| coach_team1 = Cairns Taipans (assistant)

| coach_years2 = 2006–2009

| coach_team2 = Cairns Marlins

| coach_years3 = 2009–2018

| coach_team3 = Cairns Taipans

| coach_years4 = 2018–2023

| coach_team4 = Charlotte (assistant)

| coach_years5 = 2023–present

| coach_team5 = Charlotte

|overall_record= {{Winning percentage|30|34|record=y}} (college)

| awards =

NBL Coach of the Year (2015)
2× QBL champion (2007, 2009)
2× QBL Coach of the Year (2006, 2007)

}}

Aaron C. Fearne (born May 30, 1974) is an Australian basketball coach and former professional player who is the head coach for the Charlotte 49ers men's team of the American Athletic Conference. He served as the head coach of the Cairns Taipans of the Australian National Basketball League (NBL) from 2009 to 2018.

Playing career

Fearne played college basketball in the United States. He played for Western Wisconsin Technical College during the 1993–94 season and Mid-State Technical College during the 1994–95 season.{{cite web |title=Aaron Fearne |url=https://charlotte49ers.com/staff-directory/aaron-fearne/325 |website=UNC Charlotte Athletics |access-date=27 February 2022 |archive-date=21 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211121222132/https://charlotte49ers.com/staff-directory/aaron-fearne/325 |url-status=live }} Fearne played his final two seasons at Mayville State University from 1995 to 1997. He served as a student coach for the team during the 1997–98 season.{{cite web |title=Men's Basketball Team 1997–1998 |url=https://msucomets.com/honors/hall-of-fame/mens-basketball-team-1997-1998/3 |website=MSU Comets |access-date=27 February 2022 |archive-date=27 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220227103441/https://msucomets.com/honors/hall-of-fame/mens-basketball-team-1997-1998/3 |url-status=live }}

Fearne played for the Cairns Marlins from 1998 to 2005. He played for the Cairns Taipans of the NBL as a forward from 1999 to 2001 where he averaged 3.0 points, 1.7 rebounds and 0.6 assists in 38 games.{{cite web |title=Aaron Fearne |url=http://aussiehoopla.com/aaron-fearne/ |website=Aussie Hoopla |access-date=27 February 2022 |archive-date=27 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220227103443/http://aussiehoopla.com/aaron-fearne/ |url-status=live }}

Coaching career

Fearne served as an assistant coach for the Taipans from 2001 to 2009.{{cite web |last1=Uluc |first1=Olgun |title=Cairns Taipans elect not to re-sign head coach Aaron Fearne |url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/basketball/nbl/cairns-taipans-elect-not-to-resign-head-coach-aaron-fearne/news-story/e200ca631657f237e89099c712d4c2a3 |website=Fox Sports |access-date=27 February 2022 |date=3 March 2018 |archive-date=27 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220227103442/https://www.foxsports.com.au/basketball/nbl/cairns-taipans-elect-not-to-resign-head-coach-aaron-fearne/news-story/e200ca631657f237e89099c712d4c2a3 |url-status=live }} He was the head coach of the Marlins of the Queensland Basketball League (QBL) from 2006 to 2009. He led the team to QBL championships in 2007 and 2009. Fearne was named the QBL Coach of the Year in 2006 and 2007.

Fearne was head coach of the Taipans for nine seasons and led the team to three postseason berths. Fearne was named as the NBL Coach of the Year in 2015.{{cite web |title=Cairns Taipans cut ties with coach Aaron Fearne |url=https://www.espn.com.au/nbl/story/_/id/22627906/nbl-cairns-taipans-cut-ties-coach-aaron-fearne |website=ESPN |access-date=27 February 2022 |date=3 March 2018 |archive-date=10 March 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180310131310/http://www.espn.com.au/nbl/story/_/id/22627906/nbl-cairns-taipans-cut-ties-coach-aaron-fearne |url-status=live }} On 3 March 2018, the Taipans announced that Fearne would not return as head coach.

On 1 August 2018, Fearne joined the Charlotte 49ers as an assistant coach.{{cite web |title=Former NBL coach joins US college outfit |url=https://wwos.nine.com.au/basketball/former-nbl-coach-joins-us-college-outfit/7e30869f-a871-4747-a7fc-c7b5f67b98f5 |website=Nine |access-date=27 February 2022 |date=1 August 2018 |archive-date=26 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201026093449/https://wwos.nine.com.au/basketball/former-nbl-coach-joins-us-college-outfit/7e30869f-a871-4747-a7fc-c7b5f67b98f5 |url-status=live }} After head coach Ron Sanchez left Charlotte in June 2023 to become the top assistant to Tony Bennett at Virginia,{{cite press release|url=https://virginiasports.com/news/2023/06/06/sanchez-returning-to-virginia-as-associate-head-coach/ |title=Sanchez Returning to Virginia as Associate Head Coach |publisher=Virginia Cavaliers |date=6 June 2023 |access-date=21 June 2023}} Fearne was named interim head coach on 7 June,{{cite press release|url=https://charlotte49ers.com/news/2023/6/7/fearne-named-charlottes-interim-mens-basketball-coach.aspx |title=Fearne Named Charlotte's Interim Men's Basketball Coach |publisher=Charlotte 49ers |date=7 June 2023 |access-date=21 June 2023}} with his appointment for the entire 2023–24 season becoming official on 15 June.{{cite press release|url=https://charlotte49ers.com/news/2023/6/15/mens-basketball-charlotte-tabs-aaron-fearne-as-interim-head-coach-for-2023-24.aspx |title=Charlotte Tabs Aaron Fearne as Interim Head Coach for 2023-24 |publisher=Charlotte 49ers |date=15 June 2023 |access-date=21 June 2023}}

On 12 February 2024, Charlotte removed the interim tag from Fearne, naming him the program’s permanent head coach after leading the 49ers to a 15-8 start and 9-2 mark in The American. {{cite press release|url= https://charlotte49ers.com/news/2024/2/12/mens-basketball-aaron-fearne-named-charlotte-14th-mens-basketball-coach.aspx |title= Aaron Fearne Named Charlotte's 14th Men's Basketball Head Coach |publisher=Charlotte 49ers |date=12 February 2024 |access-date=13 February 2024}}