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Thereafter, at ULM, then known as Northeast Louisiana State College and then Northeast Louisiana State University (NLU), Fant's teams won seven conference and/or district championships. After overall losses in the 1957-1961 seasons, Fant compiled eighteen consecutive winning seasons at NLU.<ref name=fant/> Upon his retirement in 1979, he completed his single-most successful record, 23-6.<ref name=fant/>​

Thereafter, at ULM, then known as Northeast Louisiana State College and then Northeast Louisiana State University (NLU), Fant's teams won seven conference and/or district championships. After overall losses in the 1957-1961 seasons, Fant compiled eighteen consecutive winning seasons at NLU.<ref name=fant/> Upon his retirement in 1979, he completed his single-most successful record, 23-6.<ref name=fant/>​

 

His players included future school superintendent and state Representative [[Lanny Johnson]] of Franklin and Tensas parishes; [[Lawson Swearingen]], later the ULM president and a former member of the Louisiana State Senate]] from Monroe; Jamie Mayo, current [[mayor]] and former city council member in Monroe, and Calvin Natt, a former [[National Basketball Association]] player who passed up the chance to attend [[Louisiana State University]] in [[Baton Rouge]] so that he could play under Fant.<ref name=mns>{{cite web|url=http://www.bayou.com/~suelynn/obituaries/lofobit.html|title=Mark S. Rainwater, "Fant's legacy lives on in 'his boys'", October 13, 1998|publisher=''The Monroe News-Star''|accessdate=January 3, 2010}}</ref> Mayo recalled that Fant "cared about us after our eligibility ended. When I was first elected to the City Council, Coach Fant was one of the first people to call and congratulate me."<ref name=mns/> Swearingen said that Fant had a "desire to see us do well after our playing days. He had a way of inspiring and motivating you to give your best."<ref name=mns/> Former Representative Lanny Johnson, whose service as a superintendent includes the three parishes of Franklin, Tensas, and Ouachita and who was the first All-American at NLU, said that he often called Fant to get jokes for use in Johnson’s public speeches.<ref name=mns/>​

His players included future school superintendent and state Representative [[Lanny Johnson]] of Franklin and Tensas parishes; [[Lawson Swearingen]], later the ULM president and a former member of the Louisiana State Senate]] from Monroe; Jamie Mayo, current [[mayor]] and former city council member in Monroe, and Calvin Natt, a former [[National Basketball Association]] player who passed up the chance to attend [[Louisiana State University]] in [[Baton Rouge]] so that he could play under Fant.<ref name=mns>{{cite web|url=http://www.bayou.com/~suelynn/obituaries/lofobit.html|title=Mark S. Rainwater, "Fant's legacy lives on in 'his boys'", October 13, 1998|publisher=''The Monroe News-Star''|accessdate=January 3, 2010}}</ref> Mayo recalled that Fant "cared about us after our eligibility ended. When I was first elected to the City Council, Coach Fant was one of the first people to call and congratulate me."<ref name=mns/> Swearingen said that Fant had a "desire to see us do well after our playing days. He had a way of inspiring and motivating you to give your best."<ref name=mns/> Former Representative Lanny Johnson, whose service as a superintendent includes the three parishes of Franklin, Tensas, and Ouachita and who was the first All-American at NLU, said that he often called Fant to get jokes for use in Johnson’s public speeches.<ref name=mns/>​

 

Others who played for Fant were Stuart David Toms (born October 5, 1941), later pastor of Sweetwater Baptist Church in Quitman in Jackson Parish;; Mike Vining, later the NLU men’s basketball coach; David Pickett, who later played for the Los Angeles Lakers, and Roger Stockton, former NLU women's basketball coach. Pastor Stuart Toms, who played at NLU from 1960 to 1963 and was inducted in 1995 in the Louisiana High School Athletic Association,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lhsaa.org/fame_inductees.php|title=Louisiana High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame inductees|publisher=lhsaa.org|accessdate=January 19, 2010}}</ref> said that Fant "epitomizes everything positive and good about college athletics [even though] much has been written and said about the negative side of college sports."<ref name=fant/>​

Others who played for Fant were Stuart David Toms (born October 5, 1941), later pastor of Sweetwater Baptist Church in Quitman in Jackson Parish;; Mike Vining, later the NLU men’s basketball coach; David Pickett, who later played for the Los Angeles Lakers, and Roger Stockton, former NLU women's basketball coach. Pastor Stuart Toms, who played at NLU from 1960 to 1963 and was inducted in 1995 in the Louisiana High School Athletic Association,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lhsaa.org/fame_inductees.php|title=Louisiana High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame inductees|publisher=lhsaa.org|accessdate=January 19, 2010}}</ref> said that Fant "epitomizes everything positive and good about college athletics [even though] much has been written and said about the negative side of college sports."<ref name=fant/>​

 

Benny Jesse Hollis (born 1938) first met Fant in 1956 and played on his first team and ultimately became his assistant coach. Hollis recalled that Fant "made everyone he met feel like they [sic] were his best friend." Hollis was succeeded as head coach in 1981 by Mike Vining but continued as athletic director until 1993. Vining played for Fant in the middle 1960s: "We weren't just playing for pride. We were playing so Coach Fant wouldn't lose. He had that kind of impact on us. He was our friend and our coach. It's something that not many people in this profession can do."<ref name=mns/>​

Benny Jesse Hollis (born 1938) first met Fant in 1956 and played on his first team and ultimately became his assistant coach. Hollis recalled that Fant "made everyone he met feel like they [sic] were his best friend." Hollis was succeeded as head coach in 1981 by Mike Vining but continued as athletic director until 1993. Vining played for Fant in the middle 1960s: "We weren't just playing for pride. We were playing so Coach Fant wouldn't lose. He had that kind of impact on us. He was our friend and our coach. It's something that not many people in this profession can do."<ref name=mns/>​

He died two weeks before what would have been his seventy-fifth birthday after an eighteen-month battle with [[colon cancer]]. He was preceded in death by his wife, the former Jo Hethcox. Survivors included his son, Lynn Fant (1951–2012), a native of Talladega, [[Alabama]];<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/thenewsstar/obituary.aspx?n=lynn-fant&pid=157954686&fhid=12527|title=Obituary of Lynn Fant|publisher=''The Monroe News-Star''|accessdate=June 8, 2012}}</ref> daughter Wanda Fant Smith and husband, Vance; grandchildren, Brandon Cruse; Janna Smith; Bo Smith; and Shawna Smith Grant, all then of West Monroe, and a brother: J. D. Fant of [[Memphis]], [[Tennessee]].<ref name=obit/>

He died two weeks before what would have been his seventy-fifth birthday after an eighteen-month battle with [[colon cancer]]. He was preceded in death by his wife, the former Jo Hethcox. Survivors included his son, Lynn Fant (1951–2012), a native of Talladega, [[Alabama]];<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/thenewsstar/obituary.aspx?n=lynn-fant&pid=157954686&fhid=12527|title=Obituary of Lynn Fant|publisher=''The Monroe News-Star''|accessdate=June 8, 2012}}</ref> daughter Wanda Fant Smith and husband, Vance; grandchildren, Brandon Cruse; Janna Smith; Bo Smith; and Shawna Smith Grant, all then of West Monroe, and a brother: J. D. Fant of [[Memphis]], [[Tennessee]].<ref name=obit/>

Fant's funeral service was held at the Ewing Coliseum, the basketball arena built during his coaching era. Pastors Stuart Toms and William Smith officiated. Ewing Coliseum was subsequently renamed the Fant-Ewing Coliseum. To the right of his casket was the basketball from his 300th win, a 95–73 victory in 1974 over [[Tulane University]] in [[New Orleans]]. The Reverend Smith, Fant's pastor at Lakeshore Baptist Church in Monroe, called him an "extraordinary ordinary man".<ref name=fant/>​

Fant's funeral service was held at the Ewing Coliseum, the basketball arena built during his coaching era. Pastors Stuart Toms and William Smith officiated. Ewing Coliseum was subsequently renamed the Fant-Ewing Coliseum. To the right of his casket was the basketball from his 300th win, a 95–73 victory in 1974 over [[Tulane University]] in [[New Orleans]]. The Reverend Smith, Fant's pastor at Lakeshore Baptist Church in Monroe, called him an "extraordinary ordinary man".<ref name=fant/>​

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Fant is interred at Memorial Park Cemetery in Monroe.<ref name=obit/> In 1988, he was inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame. In 1997, he was named to the Centenary College Hall of Fame.<ref name=gents/> He is also a member of the Louisiana Basketball Hall of Fame, and the ULU (then NLU) Hall of Fame.<ref name=fant/> In 1999, ULM introduced the "Lenny Fant Scholarship."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ulm.edu/universityrelations/news/feb00/fant.html|title="[Guy] Barr honored at Lenny Fant Memorial Scholarship Dinner"|date=February 25, 2000|publisher=ulm.edu|accessdate=January 5, 2009}}</ref>​

Fant is interred at Memorial Park Cemetery in Monroe.<ref name=obit/> In 1988, he was inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame. In 1997, he was named to the Centenary College Hall of Fame.<ref name=gents/> He is also a member of the Louisiana Basketball Hall of Fame, and the ULU (then NLU) Hall of Fame.<ref name=fant/> In 1999, ULM introduced the "Lenny Fant Scholarship."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ulm.edu/universityrelations/news/feb00/fant.html|title="[Guy] Barr honored at Lenny Fant Memorial Scholarship Dinner"|date=February 25, 2000|publisher=ulm.edu|accessdate=January 5, 2009}}</ref>​