A former WNBA star and seasoned pro coach returns to Happy Valley, tasked with revitalizing Penn State's basketball legacy.
On March 5, Penn State tied Carolyn Kieger after going 11-18 during the 2025-26 season.
(The men's team didn't do much better.)
Kieger went 84-123 overall and 30-97 in Big Ten play during her seven years with the Nittany Lions. She came to PSU after going 99-64 in five years at Marquette.
Things started to look up for PSU when they went 22-13 in 2023-24, making the WBIT semifinals. However, the program has won just 21 games in the last two years.
Per Matt Fortuna, Penn State is set to hire Chicago Sky assistant coach Tanisha Wright to replace Kieger. Wright played college basketball with the Nittany Lions from 2001 to 2005.
"Source: Penn State women’s basketball is hiring Chicago Sky assistant coach and former WNBA standout Tanisha Wright as its next head coach," Fortuna wrote on X.
"Wright was a three-time Big Ten defensive player of the year with the Lady Lions during her college playing days."
Wright began her coaching career with Charlotte as an assistant in 2017. She became an assistant coach for the Las Vegas Aces in 2020.
In 2022, Wright was named the head coach of the Atlanta Dream. She joined the Sky in 2025.
Wright went 48-68 during her three seasons as head coach of the Dream. Atlanta made the playoffs but lost in the first round in each of her final two seasons with the team.
The Dream fired Wright after the 2024 playoffs.
Penn State last made the Final Four in 1980. The Nittany Lions last made the NCAA Tournament in 2014. PSU last won the regular season Big Ten championship in 2014.
Wright will face an uphill battle to turn her school’s program around. The Nittany Lions have had just one winning season since the 2017-18 campaign.
Wright is leaving a Sky team that has struggled in recent years. Chicago went 10-34 in 2025, tied for 12th place in the WNBA.
Tyler Marsh was in his first season as the Sky's head coach last season.
It'll be interesting to see if Wright can turnaround the program at PSU. She'll be a big name who could help land recruits.