The Connecticut Sun have announced the departure of Stephanie White, who served as the team's head coach for the past two seasons. During her tenure, White guided the Sun to the WNBA semifinals in both seasons, with the team finishing third in the regular season with a 28-12 record. The Sun advanced to the semifinals after sweeping Indiana in the first round of the playoffs but fell short in a five-game series against Minnesota.
Sun president Jen Rizzotti expressed gratitude towards White for her contributions to the organization and wished her well in her future endeavors. White, who was named the 2023 WNBA Coach of the Year and Associated Press Coach of the Year, led the Sun to a franchise-best 27-13 record in her first season.
Prior to her time with the Sun, White had coaching experience with the Indiana Fever, where she served as both an assistant and head coach. She played a significant role in the Fever's 2012 WNBA championship and led the team to the finals in 2015. Additionally, White was the head coach at Vanderbilt from 2016 to 2021.
White, a former WNBA player herself, had a successful career on the court after playing college basketball at Purdue. She spent five seasons in the WNBA, primarily with the Indiana Fever. Following her playing career, White transitioned to a role as a college basketball analyst for ESPN and the Big Ten Network.
White's departure marks the seventh coaching change in the WNBA this offseason, coming shortly after the Indiana Fever parted ways with their head coach. The announcement of White's departure followed her disclosure of a family emergency during a recent media session, where she indicated that her coaching future was not at the forefront of her mind.
As the Sun begin their search for a new head coach, they will look to build upon the foundation laid by White and strive for continued success in the upcoming WNBA season.
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