Indiana Fever Hires Stephanie White as head coach

Indiana Fever Hires Stephanie White as head coach

White is scheduled to host an introductory news conference at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Monday at 7 p.m. 15 A.M

INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Fever announced Friday that the team has named Stephanie White as head coach. White, a native of West Lebanon, Indiana and Purdue alumna, returns to the franchise where she spent six seasons (as head coach in 2015-16 and as an assistant coach from 2011-14) on the sidelines.

“As we enter this new era of Fever basketball, I am thrilled to welcome Stephanie back to the franchise,” said Fever President of Basketball Operations Kelly Krauskopf. “Stephanie is part of the fabric of this franchise, both as a former player and as a member of our championship coaching staff, so I am quite familiar with her elite basketball IQ and leadership style. I am confident that there is no one who better understands our culture or is more equipped to lead our group of players to the next level.”

“I am incredibly proud and honored to return home to Indiana and lead the Fever during such a defining moment in the history of this franchise, 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.”

White spent the last two seasons as the head coach of the Connecticut Sun, guiding the team to consecutive WNBA Semifinals appearances and posting a 55-25 record during that span. During the 2023 season, she was named the WNBA Coach of the Year and the Associated Press Coach of the Year, as well as being named the head coach of the 2023 WNBA All-Star Game.

White enters 2025 with a combined 17 seasons of experience as a player and coach in the WNBA. Prior to Connecticut, she spent two seasons as the head coach of the Indiana Fever, compiling a 37-31 overall record and a 6-6 playoff record, including a trip to the 2015 WNBA Finals and a 2016 postseason berth. Prior to becoming head coach of the Fever, White spent four seasons as an assistant coach (2011-14), most notably helping lead Indiana to its first WNBA championship in 2012.

White has also been the head coach at Vanderbilt (2016-21), assistant coach for the Chicago Sky (2007-10) and assistant coach at the collegiate level at Toledo (2005-07), Kansas State (2004-05) and Ball State (2003-04) .

As a player, White played five seasons in the WNBA and spent the majority of her career with the Fever, who acquired her prior to the franchise’s inaugural season in 2000. She currently sits in the top 20 in franchise history in games (112), assists (225), steals (115) and three-point field goals made (92).

White also had an outstanding collegiate career, playing four seasons for Purdue from 1995-99. During her senior campaign, she led the Boilermakers to the 1999 NCAA National Championship while also picking up Big Ten Conference Player of the Year and the Wade Trophy. At Purdue, White amassed 2,182 career points and was inducted into the Purdue Athletics Hall of Fame in 2006.

At Seeger High School as a player, White was named USA Today National Player of the Year, WBCA High School All-American and MVP of the WBCA All-American game. A three-time AP all-state selection, she set the IHSAA girls basketball scoring record with 2,869 career points, including a single-game high of 66 points.