Penn State tabs former star Tanisha Wright to lead Lady Lions

The Penn State women’s basketball program has its next head coach – and the Lady Lions turned to their storied past to find her.

Announced Thursday afternoon, decorated former Lady Lion and 14-year WNBA veteran Tanisha Wright has been chosen to lead the program moving forward.

“Penn State women’s basketball has a proud history, a strong tradition and a standard of excellence. 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,” Penn State athletic director Pat Kraft said in a press release. “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.” 

A prolific performer for the Lady Lions from 2002-05, Wright owns the program record for most games played. She totaled 1,995 career points during her time in Happy Valley to go along with 621 rebounds, 484 assists, 267 steals and 61 blocks, establishing herself as a defensive stalwart. For her efforts, she was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year three times and helped lead the program to the Elite Eight during the 2003-04 season.

Wright inherits a program that has not seen the same level of success in the 22 seasons since, spanning the tenures of Rene Portland, Coquese Washington and, most recently, Carolyn Kieger. Under Kieger, the Lady Lions have struggled in recent seasons, following a 22-13 campaign in 2023-24 with back-to-back losing seasons at 10-19 and 11-18, respectively. In Big Ten play, Penn State has finished no better than tied for sixth during Kieger’s tenure, going a combined 5-31 in conference play over the past two years.

Afforded the opportunity to restore a program that routinely reached the NCAA Tournament — doing so 21 times during Portland’s tenure from 1980-2007 — Wright said she is eager to take on the challenge.

“Penn State will always be home to me, and it is an incredible honor to return to this program as head coach,” said Wright. “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 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.”

As a player, Wright built a reputation as a defensive specialist both at Penn State and in the WNBA. She is a five-time WNBA All-Defensive First Team selection and a two-time second-team honoree.

She was selected 12th overall in the 2005 WNBA Draft by the Seattle Storm, playing nine seasons in the Pacific Northwest and winning a WNBA championship in 2010. She later finished her career with stints with the New York Liberty and Minnesota Lynx.

Following her playing career, Wright transitioned into coaching, serving as an assistant with the Las Vegas Aces before being named head coach of the Atlanta Dream in 2022. In three seasons in Atlanta, her teams went 48-68, reaching the playoffs in 2023 and 2024 with first-round exits.

She joins the Lady Lions after one season as an assistant coach with the Chicago Sky in 2025.

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