Stephanie White knows winning is the only option after sealing her return as head coach of the Indiana Fever, tasked with leading Caitlin Clark and a talented roster to WNBA glory.
White has rejoined the franchise where she spent six seasons on the coaching staff, including a two-year stint as head coach from 2015-16. The 47-year-old has spent the past two seasons in charge of the Connecticut Sun, twice losing in the playoff semifinals.
White had options across the WNBA, holding talks with the Fever and Chicago Sky after leaving the Sun last month. But the prospect of working with Rookie of the Year Clark and young stars like Aliyah Boston proved too good to turn down, although White knows she is under pressure from Day 1.
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“I am incredibly proud and honored to return home to Indiana and lead the Fever during such a pivotal moment in this franchise’s history, as well as during such an important time throughout women’s athletics,” White said.
“This franchise has and always will be committed to winning and I look forward to working every day to help deliver another WNBA title to the greatest basketball fans in the world.”
The Fever made the somewhat surprising decision to part ways with head coach Christie Sides after a defeat to the Sun in the first round of the playoffs. After a 1-8 start to the season, Sides’ team finished 20-20 and third in the Eastern Conference.
White has returned for a second stint in charge of the Fever (
Getty)
But with Clark and Boston heading into their second seasons, the Fever’s championship window is open and president of basketball operations Kelly Krauskopf made the ruthless move of changing head coach. She believes White is the perfect fit to lead the team forward.
“As we enter this new era of Fever basketball, I am thrilled to welcome Stephanie back to the franchise,” Krauskopf said. “Stephanie is a part of the fabric of this franchise, both as a former player and as a member of our championship coaching staff, so I’m quite familiar with her elite basketball IQ and leadership style.
“I am confident there is no one who better understands our culture or is more equipped to lead our group of players to the next level.”
White hopes to go one better than her first season in charge of the Fever, which followed Lin Dunn’s retirement. The Fever lost out to the Minnesota Lynx in the WNBA Finals in 2015. The following season, Indiana finished third in the east and was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs.
White moved to the collegiate level at the end of the 2016 campaign, taking charge of Vanderbilt, where she spent five seasons and finished with a 46-83 record.
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