The Claiborne County Sports Hall of Fame presented by Michael Brooks, Farm Bureau is proud to announce that Dennis Cline is the newest inductee to the hall of fame.
Michael Brooks made a statement concerning his partnership with the hall of fame, “I am excited for the opportunity to be able to support the sports HOF. I feel like it’s a great idea to get something started bringing recognition to our local athletes of the past. I think it’s important for our younger, current athletes to be able to see those who came before them and be aware of some of their many outstanding accomplishments and the impacts they have had in our community.”
Dennis Cline played basketball at Powell Valley High School and was an excellent long-range shooter. Several coaches and fans commented that if the three-point basket had existed during that time Cline would have set the points record. After graduating during the class of 1982, Cline had an offer to play basketball with Lincoln Memorial University, but he decided to join the work force instead. Soon after, Cline began his teaching and coaching career. He started with middle school and later on moved to high school.
As a coach, Cline went on to win district and regional championships, but his best run was with the 1995-96 Powell Valley Indians Basketball team. He guided that team all the way to the 1996 state final four. This Indians team was 33-2 during the 1995 season but began in 1993 with a meager 15-12 record before improving the following year to 27-6, proving his coaching abilities. This group won a district championship and two regional championships. The Indians reached the state final four during that amazing ’95 season and were one of only two Indians’ teams to reach that milestone with the first being the 1979 team.
Cline continued to coach after that amazing season and racked up several more wins; however, he was shockingly not chosen as coach when the Cumberland Gap High School was opened but he rebounded from that and joined the college coaching ranks. Cline coached on the basketball staff at Lincoln Memorial University from 2003-2013 and helped the Railsplitters become champions and compete at the highest national level.
Cline then returned to high school basketball with the girls’ team at Cumberland Gap where he worked diligently to rebuild the Lady Panthers’ program.
Cline was a star athlete, but what made him great was his love for the game and his ability to teach it to kids. For his efforts, Dennis Cline has been inducted into the Claiborne County Sports Hall of Fame as presented by Michael Brooks, Farm Bureau.
Thank you, Michael Brooks, for your support of the Claiborne County Sports Hall of Fame.
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