Indiana hires Stephanie White as coach to lead Caitlin Clark and the Fever

INDIANAPOLIS – Indiana Fever hired Stephanie White on Friday as coach, putting her at the helm of a team led by WNBA Rookie of the Year Caitlin Clark.

White spent the last two seasons as head coach of the Connecticut Sun before parting ways with the team earlier this week.

The former Purdue star worked on the Fever coaching staff from 2011-2016 and served as head coach for the last two of those seasons. The Fever won the WNBA title in 2012 with White on the staff.

“I am incredibly proud and honored to return home to Indiana and lead the Fever at such a pivotal time in the history of this franchise, as well as such an important moment in the history of women’s track and field,” White said in a statement. “This franchise has been and always will be committed to winning, and I look forward every day to helping deliver another WNBA title to the greatest basketball fans in the world.”

White replaces Christie Sides, who led the Fever to a 20-20 record last season and the team’s first playoff berth since 2016. The organization announced that further from Sideswho was head coach for two seasons before he was fired last Sunday.

Indiana is the first of seven head coaching vacancies in the league to be filled.

“As we enter a new era of Fever basketball, I am thrilled to welcome Stephanie back to the franchise,” said Kelly Krauskopf, president of Fever basketball operations. “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 familiar with her elite basketball IQ and leadership style. I am confident that there is no one who understands our culture better and is better equipped to lead our group of players to the next level.

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AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball