Little Rock baseball head coach Chris Curry announced Roland Fanning as the program’s newest assistant coach on July 25, 2014. Fanning joined the Little Rock staff after two seasons at Oklahoma State and five seasons at Southeastern Oklahoma State.

In 2016, Fanning helped the Trojans to their best-ever Sun Belt performance as the team finished third in the regular season while they recorded their most conference wins with 17. The Trojans hit .302 for the season, the best in the Sun Belt Conference, and broke the team's fielding percentage record at .975.

In 2015, Fanning helped the Trojans sweep Louisiana for the first time since 2000, beat No. 14 Missouri in Columbia and improve the team's conference record from the prior year.

“Roland Fanning is a proven winner and we are fortunate to have him on our staff,” said Curry. “He’s been a part of a turnaround at two programs in Oklahoma State under Josh Holliday and at Southeastern Oklahoma State under Mike Metheny. Roland brings a wealth of experience in recruiting, coaching the short game, base running, as well as outfield play.

“Most importantly, Roland’s character and integrity are above board and he comes highly recommended from one of the top coaches in the country in coach Holliday,” Curry continued. “We’re excited about Roland leading our recruiting efforts, and with his people skills, contacts and knowledge of the type of player we want here at Little Rock, I’m very excited about the leadership he will provide.”

Fanning joined the Oklahoma State baseball coaching staff in August 2012 after spending five seasons as an assistant baseball coach and assistant marketing director at Southeastern Oklahoma State. In Fanning’s first year at Oklahoma State, the Cowboys posted a 41-19 record and advanced to the finals of the NCAA Louisville Regional. OSU’s 41 wins in 2013 were its most since 2008, while its second-place finish in the Big 12 Conference was its best in five seasons.

“Roland was instrumental in his two years here in helping us build our program,” said Holliday. “He has tremendous skills both with people and in coaching that made him a big addition to our program. He has a great family and a passion for the college game and coaching. He was a huge asset to our program, and I know he’ll be the same way for coach Curry and Little Rock.”

Fanning and the Cowboys were even stronger in 2014, going 48-18, winning the program’s first-ever Big 12 regular season title and advancing all the way to the NCAA Stillwater Super Regional. The 48 wins were the most by an OSU team since 1994.

“It’s a great hire. Roland has great energy and passion and a big heart, and he’s just a quality person,” said Oklahoma State pitching coach Rob Walton. “All the characteristics you’d want a guy to have in a program where you’re sending your son to be taken care of by another person, Roland has those. He’s a genuine human being. He’s a good fit, and Little Rock is fortunate to bring someone like him to the program.”

During his tenure at Southeastern, Fanning coached five All-Americans, 20 All-Great American Conference performers, a GAC Pitcher of the Year and a pair of Major League Baseball Draft picks. In 2012, the Savage Storm finished second in the GAC, which followed a 2011 campaign that saw them win a Lone Star Conference championship.

"There's no question that I think the world of Roland," said Metheny, the winningest active head coach in Division II baseball. "He'll beat the bushes and he'll find players that nobody's ever heard of who are good players. Recruiting is his greatest asset, but he also does the other things well, too. He'll be able to help the program in a lot of different ways."

Fanning played collegiately at Carl Albert State College and Northern Oklahoma-Enid before finishing his career as a two-year starter and team captain at Southeastern Oklahoma. He graduated from Southeastern Oklahoma with a degree in recreation in December 2005.

“Little Rock has hired a very energetic, go-getter guy that’s got good contacts,” said Gerald Turner, Scout for the Atlanta Braves. “On the pro scale, we do a 20-to-80 scale going worst to best. Little Rock got an 80 employee. You’re not going to out-work him. He won’t take no for an answer.”

A native of Coalgate, Oklahoma, Fanning is married to the former Beverly Hemphill. The couple has one daughter, Emery Jo.