For weeks, if not months, speculation has swirled about mutual interest between the Indiana Fever and Connecticut Sun head coach Stephanie White. It didn’t take long for the dominoes to fall once the offseason began: the Fever quickly fired former coach Christie Sides, and when the Sun and White decided to part ways a few days ago, it seemed to be only a matter of time. .

Sure enough, on Friday, the Fever announced White as the team’s new head coach. White spent the last two seasons coaching the Sun and won 2023. WNBA Coach of the Year honored during his tenure. She leaves the team after back-to-back semi-final appearances to take over a Fever team that is thriving and has high expectations for the future with Caitlin Clark at the helm.

“I am incredibly proud and honored to return home to Indiana and lead the Fever at such a pivotal time in this franchise’s history, as well as at such an important time in women’s athletics. This franchise is and will always be committed to winning and I look forward to working every day to help deliver another WNBA title to the world’s greatest basketball fans. “”

– Blank on the management of fever

Indiana is a place that loves its roots. Indiana natives love their home state and are proud of it, especially when it comes to basketball. White is a native of West Lebanon, Indiana and also a Purdue alumna. On top of that, she has already spent six seasons as both an assistant and head coach with the Fever.

Kelly Krauskopf, Fever’s president of basketball operations, was certain that the the future of this franchise is bright and his intention has been to find a head coach who fits their expectations for the future as an organization.

“As we enter this new era of Fever basketball, I am thrilled to welcome Stephanie back to the franchise. 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’m pretty familiar with her elite basketball IQ and style of leadership. I am confident that there is no one who understands our culture better or is more equipped to lead our playing group to the next level.

– Fever President Kelly Krauskopf

It was important that the head coach be someone who could help bring the best of their star player, Caitlin Clark. She is the cornerstone of the franchise and the league going forward, so it was essential to have a coach who was aware of the franchise’s goals. Who better than someone who has lived in Indiana, played in Indiana and coached in Indiana? White helped the franchise win its first-ever WNBA title in 2012 as a player, and now the journey begins to bring one as a coach.