Penn State women's basketball is turning a new page with a familiar face at the helm. The Lady Lions have appointed Tanisha Wright, a program legend, as their new head coach.
Wright, 42, steps into this role after serving as an assistant coach for the WNBA's Chicago Sky. Her coaching resume also includes a successful stint as head coach of the Atlanta Dream, where she guided the team to consecutive playoff appearances. Wright's collegiate coaching experience includes time as an assistant at UNC-Charlotte.
As a player, Wright's legacy at Penn State is nothing short of remarkable. She's the only athlete in Big Ten women's basketball history to clinch the Defensive Player of the Year award three times in a row from 2003 to 2005.
In her senior year, she dominated the conference, leading in scoring with an impressive 19.3 points per game. Her accolades include being a three-time All-Big Ten First Team selection and earning AP and USBWA All-American honors.
Wright's professional playing career spanned 14 years in the WNBA, where she earned a reputation as a defensive powerhouse. She was a seven-time All-Defensive selection and won a WNBA Championship with the Seattle Storm in 2010.
Now, Wright faces the challenge of revitalizing a Lady Lions program that has struggled recently, with just one winning season in the past seven years under former head coach Carolyn Kieger. However, the team boasts promising talent, including 6-foot-6 center Gracie Merkle, scoring phenom Kiyomi McMiller, and sharpshooter Moriah Murray.
This appointment is more than a homecoming; it's an opportunity for Wright to harness the current talent and rebuild the program she once elevated as a player. The Lady Lions are poised for a new era, and with Wright at the helm, the future looks bright.