Penn State needs a new women’s basketball coach, and one of the programs greats has emerged as a top candidate.
Mitchell Northam of USA Today reported Wednesday night that Penn State is looking at Tanisha Wright to fill the position.
A West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, native, Wright starred for Rene Portland’s Penn State teams from 2001-05, winning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year three times, being named first-team All-Big Ten three times and being named a third-team All-American in 2005. In Wright’s time at Penn State, the team made the NCAA Tournament all four years, winning two Big Ten regular season championships, making it to three Sweet 16s and an Elite 8.
After Penn State, Wright started her WNBA career, where she was a first-round pick (12th overall) of the Seattle Storm in the 2005 Draft.
Over a 13-year career, Wright became one of the best defenders in league history, being named first-team all defense five times and second-team twice. In 2010, she helped the Storm to the WNBA championship, and played four more seasons in Seattle before signing with the New York Liberty.
Wright took the 2017 off to rest, then came back in 2018, this time with the Minnesota Lynx.
After a year in Minnesota, she returned to the Liberty, where she finished off her career.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.After two seasons as an assistant with the Las Vegas Aces, Wright became a WNBA head coach with the Atlanta Dream, going 48-68 over three seasons.
She’s currently an assistant with the Chicago Sky.
The Penn State job is open because of the school’a decision to fire Carolyn Kieger after seven seasons.
Kieger’s time at Penn State ended with an overall 84-123 record (30-97 in the Big Ten).
