Chicago Sky is in dire need of stability since general manager Jeff Pagliocca fired Teresa Weatherspoon. Penn State, however, have entered the picture to shake things up even more for Sky as they are reportedly zeroing in on assistant coach Tanisha Wright.

Wright is in the mix to take Carolyn Kieger’s head coaching job at Penn State, who was fired after seven seasons. According to Mitchell Northam of USA Today, “Tanisha Wright has emerged as a top candidate for the Penn State job.”

Wright has a strong coaching resume and is an experienced WNBA head coach, too. Before the Sky, she was Atlanta’s head coach, leading the team to a 48-68 record over three seasons and making the playoffs twice. She led the Dream to double digits for the first time since 2018 in 2022 and was named AP Coach of the Year. However, they lost in the first round of the postseason each time, and eventually, the Dream decided to let her go to take the next step in their development.

However, Dream executive vice president and general manager Dan Padover maintained that Wright’s tenure was successful.  “Tanisha was an important contributor in our efforts to rebuild the Dream,” Padover said. “And we want to thank her for her hard work and dedication to the Dream over the last three seasons and wish her the best in the future.” 

Wright has also served as an assistant for the Las Vegas Aces and a scout for the USA Basketball Women’s National Team at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Before that, she served as a court coach for the team at the 2024 FIBA Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Antwerp, Belgium. However, Wright is not the only highly rated name among the potential head coaches for Penn State. UConn assistant Tonya Cardoza, Carla Berube from Princeton, and Arizona State assistant Daniel Barber are among the names thrown around in the rumor mill. However, Tanisha Wright could be a perfect fit if they manage to get her.

Tanisha Wright Is A Perfect Fit For Penn State

Tanisha Wright is a respected alum. Wright played at Penn State for all four years from 2001 to 2005, starting every game. She earned three-time Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and First-Team All-American honors while averaging 16.0 PPG as a junior. Wright had a career average of 14 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 3.6 assists. She led the Lady Lions to the Elite Eight and was honored as Homecoming Grand Marshal in 2023. Beyond her past connection to the program, her qualities are exactly what Penn State desperately needs.

Penn State needs a rebuild. They haven’t had a winning season in the last 12 years. In 2025-26, they finished 11-18 overall and 4-14 in the Big Ten. The squad has some bright spots, with Kyomi Miller averaging 21.4 points, 5 rebounds, and 4.5 assists, and Gracie Merkle averaging 19.2 points and 8.1 rebounds. But the team hasn’t found a way to win and improve. Wright has already rebuilt the Atlanta Dream. Her player development and recruiting networks will help Penn State. 

“Tanisha has built an outstanding resume as a player and coach in the WNBA with more than a decade of experience,” Marsh said while hiring Wright. “With a long history of accomplishment and player development, she will help us to build a winning culture at the Sky.”

But will Wright take a step back to college basketball? On one hand, the WNBA is the big leagues. But on the other hand, she doesn’t have the reins with the Chicago Sky, and their wins aren’t directly attributed to her. In addition, the franchise’s state is not exactly stable. Although the college scene is almost just as cutthroat, leading a college program from the depths would gain attention. She could potentially take the route from college ball and then back to the WNBA for a head coaching position.