Tanisha Wright Returns 'Home' as Penn State Women's Basketball Coach

Penn State turned to one of its all-time great players with extensive WNBA head coaching experience to take over the women's basketball program. Penn State announced Thursday that Tanisha Wright will be the Lady Lions' next head coach.

Wright, who played in four NCAA Tournaments at Penn State, returns after a long WNBA playing and coaching career. She spent four years as head coach of the Atlanta Dream, where she was named the AP Coach of the Year in 2022. Wright was an assistant with the Chicago Sky last season.

Penn State Athletic Director Pat Kraft said that the program enters an "exciting new chapter" with Wright. The Lady Lions recently fired head coach Carolyn Kieger, whose teams went
84-123 in her seven seasons. Under Kieger, Penn State had one winning season and did not make the NCAA Tournament.

“Penn State women’s basketball has a proud history, a strong tradition and a standard of
excellence,” Kraft said in a statement. “Tanisha Wright embodies everything this program stands for. She is one of the greatest to ever wear a Lady Lion uniform, and she went on to spend 19 years competing and coaching at the highest level of women’s professional basketball, including winning a championship as a player.

"She knows what winning looks like, she knows what it demands and she understands what our fans and this university expect on the court, in the classroom and in the community. As we begin this exciting new chapter with Coach Wright at the helm, her leadership, experience and deep connection to Penn State will be instrumental in building upon our proud tradition and returning this program to the national stage where it belongs.”

Atlanta Dream head coach Tanisha Wright makes a call during the first half of a 2022 WNBA game against the Chicago Sky. — Atlanta Dream head coach Tanisha Wright makes a call during the first half of a 2022 WNBA game against the Chicago Sky at Wintrust Arena. | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Wright had a stellar career at Penn State in the 2000s, when she was the three-time Big Ten defensive player of the year and a 20005 All-American. Wright led the Big Ten in scoring as a senior at 19.3 points per game.

She played in 134 games, the second-most in program history, and played on two teams that went undefeated at the Bryce Jordan Center. In 2004, Wright played for the Penn State team that wenr 28-6, made the Elite Eight and finished fifth in the final AP women's poll.

"Penn State will always be home to me, and it is an incredible honor to return to this program as
head coach,” Wright said in a statement. “This University shaped me as a student-athlete, and I understand the pride, tradition and expectations that come with wearing the Lady Lion uniform. I’m
grateful to President [Neeli] Bendapudi, Pat Kraft and the entire Penn State community for their trust. I’m excited to invest in our student-athletes, compete at the highest level and build a program
that reflects the values, toughness and excellence that define Penn State women’s basketball.”

Wright went 48-68 with the Dream and was fired after the 2024 season, when the New York Liberty swept the Dream in the first round of the playoffs. Wright had led the franchise to consecutive playoff appearances for the first time since 2013, though Atlanta was swept twice in the first round.

Wright played 14 seasons in the WNBA, including 10 with Seattle after being selected 12th overall in the 2005 draft. She won the WNBA title with Storm in 2010 and helped the team to nine straight playoff appearances. Wright earned first-team All-WNBA defensive honors five times in her career. She also played professionally with New York and Minnesota.

Wright started her coaching career while still playing in the NBA. She was an assistant at North Carolina Charlotte for four seasons and joined the Las Vegas Aces' staff in 2020 as well.

Wright has international coaching experience as well. She was an assistant for the U.S. Women's National team at the 2024 FIBA Women’s Olympic Qualifying and served as a scout for Team USA at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Penn State will introduce Wright at a press conference March 23.

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