Atlanta Dream coach and Penn State women’s basketball alum Tanisha Wright has been named the AP WNBA Coach of the Year, becoming the first former WNBA player to earn the distinction.

Wright led Atlanta to a fifth-place finish in her first season with the team. The Dream’s 14-22 record was an improvement over their 8-24 record in 2021.

Wright was a key player for Penn State from 2001 to 2005, recording 1,995 total points in 134 games. She earned three Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year awards and spearheaded a successful era for the Lady Lions, who made the NCAA Tournament all four years, including an Elite Eight appearance in 2004. 

Wright was drafted No. 12 overall in the 2005 WNBA Draft by the Seattle Storm. She went on to play ten seasons with the Storm, as well as shorter stints with the New York Liberty and Minnesota Lynx, before retiring in 2019.