Multiple media sources confirmed Thursday that Penn State has selected Tanisha Wright, a former Lady Lions standout who currently serves as an assistant coach for the Chicago Sky, to lead their women’s basketball program.
The 42-year-old Wright made her mark at Penn State between 2001 and 2005, capturing three Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year honors while earning first-team all-conference recognition three times as a shooting guard.
Wright steps in to replace Carolyn Kieger, who was dismissed from her position two weeks ago following a seven-year tenure that produced an 84-123 overall record. The Nittany Lions struggled this past season, finishing 11-18 overall and 4-14 in conference play.
Following her collegiate career, Wright became the 12th overall selection in the 2005 WNBA Draft when the Seattle Storm picked her in the first round. Her professional playing career spanned 14 seasons, during which she averaged 7.3 points, 3.1 assists, and 2.6 rebounds across 457 games with 304 starts for three different franchises. Wright earned seven WNBA All-Defensive team selections and captured a championship with Seattle in 2010.
Most recently, Wright served as head coach for the WNBA’s Atlanta Dream from 2022 through 2024, posting a 48-68 record while guiding the team to two playoff berths.
Wright began her coaching journey in college basketball, working as an assistant at Charlotte from 2017 to 2021, before transitioning to the professional ranks as an assistant with the Las Vegas Aces from 2020 to 2021.
