Coquese Washington To Leave Post As Lady Lions Head Coach
Penn State women’s basketball head coach Coquese Washington will not be back with the team next season, Penn State Athletics announced Friday.
“I am very appreciative of Coquese’s contributions to the Lady Lion basketball program and Penn State,” athletic director Sandy Barbour said in a release. “She is committed to developing young women, has been impactful in our community and we are grateful for her dedication. We thank her for 12 years of service to Penn State, and wish Coquese and her family all the best in their future endeavors.
“We both agree that the program is not where it needs to be, and this change of leadership is best at this time.”
In the final season of her contract, Washington led the Lady Lions to a 12-18 record and first-round exit from the Big Ten Tournament. She posted a 209-169 record during her 12-year tenure in charge of the program, including a 98-106 mark in Big Ten play.
The Lady Lions had success in the middle of Washington’s tenure by topping the Big Ten three times. The former Notre Dame assistant was also named the conference’s coach of the year three times. However, the program’s success dwindled in recent years — Penn State missed the NCAA Tournament in each of the last five years and posted its worst record in the team’s history in 2014-15.
“I’ve had an amazing run at Penn State,” Washington said. “I was fortunate to coach some extremely talented players along the way and will remember the fantastic experiences we enjoyed together. I am thankful for the Penn State and Lady Lion fans who supported us strongly year in and year out. I will always look back at my time at Penn State with fond memories while taking on this next chapter with my family.”
A national search for a new women’s basketball head coach will get started immediately.
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