INDIANAPOLIS – Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White has interviewed for a head coaching position at Vanderbilt University, it has been announced in media reports today. She has issued the following statement regarding her interest in college coaching:
Stephanie White: “It has always been a goal of mine to get back into college coaching at some point in my career, but it had to be the ‘perfect’ opportunity in order for me to consider leaving this job that I love very much. Vanderbilt did reach out to me and I was given permission to speak with them. No matter what happens in this process, my focus is on the Indiana Fever and leading this team to a WNBA championship this season. I love this team, our players, staff and organization and I will continue to give them all everything I have.”
Fever President and General Manager Kelly Krauskopf added, “In the offseason, Stephanie made it known that she is interested in pursuing college coaching. We agreed that she would remain with the Fever for the 2016 season. It is not my desire for her to leave our franchise, but I felt the right thing to do was to allow her to pursue her goal of coaching in college. I am more than confident that Stephanie will do a great job for us this season.”
An iconic figure in the state’s history of women’s basketball known for her skill, grit, poise and knowledge of the game, Stephanie White was introduced as the fifth head coach of the Indiana Fever on Sept. 23, 2014. Last year, in her first regular season as head coach, she did not disappoint, guiding Indiana to a 20-14 record and breaking the club mark for wins by a first-year head coach. In her first playoffs venture as head coach, she led Indiana to the WNBA Finals, becoming the first rookie head coach in league history to do so.
A local star who joined the Fever as a player during a 1999 trade prior to the team’s first season, White completed four seasons with the Fever (2000-01, 2003-04) before embarking on her coaching and broadcasting career. She returned as an Indiana assistant coach in 2011 and was elevated to the role of associate head coach prior to the 2014 season.
She has coached in the college and pro ranks since 2003. Prior to re-joining the Fever, White spent four seasons as an assistant coach with the Chicago Sky (2007-10) after previous stints as a college assistant at Ball State (2003-04), Kansas State (2004-05) and Toledo (2005-07).
White also has parlayed her playing and coaching into a prominent broadcasting career with the Big Ten Network, ESPN and FOX Sports Indiana. She appears regularly on BTN’s women’s basketball studio show and provides game analysis for men’s and women’s college games on BTN and ESPN. She also covers the NBA as a pre- and postgame anchor with FOX Sports Indiana, following the Indiana Pacers.
After leading Purdue to a national championship in 1999 and being drafted by the Charlotte Sting (2nd round, No. 21 overall), White was eventually acquired by the Fever in December 1999 to lead her hometown team into its first season of existence. White played four seasons with the Fever where she was a teammate of current Fever star Tamika Catchings.
White and the Fever, 1-1 following a 97-93 win on Wednesday over the Phoenix Mercury, host the Atlanta Dream on Friday evening.