Penn State Athletics introduced new women's basketball head coach Tanisha Wright at a press conference on Monday.
Tanisha Wright played as a Lady Lion from 2001 to 2005. She won back-to-back-to-back Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year awards and finished at Penn State five points shy of 2,000 career points.
Athletic Director Pat Kraft said Wright’s time as a player extends beyond her on-court performance.
“It’s more importantly who she is. Her passion for mentorship, her belief in building strong women, not just strong players. Her commitment to excellence in the classroom, in the community, and in the quiet moments when nobody is watching,” Kraft said.
After her collegiate career, Wright played 14 years in the WNBA, most of them with the Seattle Storm. She started in every game of the Storm’s 2010 championship season, where she averaged 9.2 points per game and shot 41% from 3-point range.
Wright landed her first assistant coaching gig at UNC Charlotte in 2017 while still playing professionally.
She transitioned to WNBA coaching as an assistant with the Las Vegas Aces in 2020 after her retirement as a player. She became the head coach of the Atlanta Dream in 2021 and spent 2025 as an assistant with the Chicago Sky.
Wright said coaching at her alma mater is her dream job, and the possibility always lingered in the back of her mind.
“I’m extremely grateful and thankful for the opportunity to stand here. I do not take this lightly. I know that this is going to be a fun job, it won’t be without its challenges, but we’re going to have a good time doing it," Wright said.
Wright said she will spend time evaluating the current roster ahead of the transfer portal opening in two weeks.