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Reports: Penn State hiring Tanisha Wright as coach

By Thomson Reuters Mar 19, 2026 | 2:39 PM

Penn State is hiring former Lady Lions star and current Chicago Sky assistant coach Tanisha Wright ​to be its next head coach, ‌multiple outlets reported Thursday.

Wright, 42, starred at the school from 2001-05, winning three Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year awards and ‌earning ​three all-conference first-team ⁠selections as a shooting ⁠guard.

She replaces Carolyn Kieger, who was fired two weeks ago after compiling an 84-123 record in seven seasons ​at Penn State. The team was 11-18 this season, including 4-14 in ⁠the Big Ten.

Wright was ⁠a first-round pick (12th overall) in ​the 2005 WNBA Draft by the Seattle ​Storm. She played 14 seasons in ‌the league, averaging 7.3 points, 3.1 assists and 2.6 rebounds in 457 games (304 starts) with three teams. She made ⁠seven WNBA All-Defensive teams and won a title with the Seattle Storm in 2010.

Wright was ⁠the ‌head coach of the WNBA’s ⁠Atlanta Dream from 2022-24, compiling ​a ‌48-68 record with two playoff ​appearances.

After starting ⁠her coaching career in the collegiate ranks as an assistant at Charlotte (2017-21), she also worked as an assistant in the WNBA with the Las Vegas Aces (2020-21).

–Field ​Level Media