One of the best to ever don a Bruins jersey returned to the Belmont University women’s basketball program on May 31, 2022. Head coach Bart Brooks selected Sally McCabe, the Bruins and Ohio Valley Conference’s all-time blocks leader and a two-time OVC Defensive Player of the Year, as Belmont women’s basketball’s first director of operations.
 
In her role, McCabe is responsible for the team’s logistical operations and travel while overseeing daily administrative duties.
 
Upon finishing her highly-decorated athletic and academic career at Belmont in 2018, McCabe attended nearby Vanderbilt where she received a Master of Education (M.Ed.) degree in early childhood special education in May of 2020. For the next two years she worked in early education as an exceptional education teacher at Nations Ford Elementary in Charlotte, North Carolina, and most recently Granbery Elementary in Brentwood.
 
During the 2021-22 basketball season, McCabe served as an assistant girl’s basketball coach at Brentwood Academy.
 
A local native of Mt. Juliet, McCabe starred at Mt. Juliet High School before becoming the Bruins’ third all-time leading scorer of Belmont’s NCAA Division I era. Totaling 1,540 points across four seasons, McCabe’s 291 career blocks are the most ever by a Bruin and represent the OVC career record. The 6-foot-3 center also ranks among the top three in Belmont’s Division I era in rebounds (914), made field goals (648) and field goal attempts (1,286). McCabe’s 95 blocked shots during the 2016-17 season are the most in a single season in program history.
 
A three-time All-OVC First Team selection, McCabe was named OVC Defensive Player of the Year at the conclusion of the 2016-17 season after being tabbed OVC Co-Defensive Player of the Year in 2016. Landing a spot on the OVC All-Tournament Team three consecutive years, McCabe was chosen as the league tournament’s MVP at the 2016 OVC Championship. She was honored with OVC weekly accolades five times throughout her four-year career and was selected as Tennessee Sports Writers Association (TSWA) Player of the Week on three different occasions.
 
As captain of the team, McCabe helped lead the Bruins to three-straight OVC Championship titles and three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances. Her junior and senior seasons, Belmont went unblemished in conference play (34-0) and captured back-to-back OVC regular season championships. With McCabe’s post presence, the Bruins rattled off 46-straight victories over OVC opponents. She completed her career with 96 wins and Belmont went 57-9 (.864) in OVC play during McCabe’s four seasons.
 
Ranking among the top six in the Bruins’ Division I era in scoring, rebounding and field goal percentage, McCabe averaged 12 points and 7.1 rebounds throughout her career while shooting 50.4 percent from the floor.
 
Off the court, McCabe was a model student-athlete. She graduated with a 3.84 cumulative grade point average majoring in psychology and education. The 2016-17 OVC Scholar-Athlete of the Year, McCabe was twice named to the Division I-AAA Athletics Directors Association (D1-AAA ADA) Scholar-Athlete Team and was a semifinalist for the prestigious Senior CLASS Award. She also garnered College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-District^® honors as a senior and was the recipient of the 2018 OVC Steve Hamilton Sportsmanship Award.
 
Having a heart for missions, McCabe twice served on medical mission trips to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and was actively involved with Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) during her time as a student-athlete. In the community, McCabe has volunteered her time with Special Olympics Tennessee’s summer games.
 
McCabe resides in Nashville.