“`html
INDIANAPOLIS — Stephanie White is making her return to the Indiana Fever with intentions of achieving greatness once again. After earning the renowned Miss Basketball title during her high school years and leading Purdue to its NCAA championship in 1999, White also played a crucial role in the inaugural season of the Indiana Fever and served as an assistant during the team’s 2012 championship season. Now, she feels the need to complete what she had started in her role as head coach.
Following her recent hiring, White made her way back to Gainbridge Fieldhouse, where she was warmly welcomed by her home-state supporters, alongside several of her new players, including Caitlin Clark. “It’s going to be incredibly difficult for me to hold back my emotions today. Being here with so many familiar faces feels like coming home,” White expressed during her reintroduction press conference. “My journey with this franchise has spanned nearly 25 years from day one, and the chance to lead this young, vibrant team is incredibly thrilling to me.”
At 47 years old, White returns to take up the head coaching position in Indiana, bringing significantly more coaching experience than she had when she left in 2016, having achieved a record of 37-31 in her brief tenure. She spent the following four seasons at Vanderbilt, where she concluded with a record of 46-83. After a short hiatus, she returned to the WNBA with the Connecticut Sun, where she directed them to a remarkable 55-25 record over two seasons, reaching the league semifinals both times and earning honors as the head coach for the 2023 WNBA All-Star Game, as well as winning the Coach of the Year Award for the same season.
With the recent departure of Christie Sides, and amid rumors of White’s desire to come back to Indiana, she and the Sun amicably parted ways, paving the way for her return to the Fever. It was a swift negotiation process, and now, as a coach who has developed her communication prowess through broadcasting, White takes over a team known for its entertainment value, featuring two consecutive rookies of the year, Clark and Aliyah Boston.
White has already formed ideas on how to lead the Fever. “They are a thrilling team to observe, and I believe we can adopt more creativity when it comes to offensive strategies. We can employ certain players in a variety of roles,” she stated while Clark and Boston were in attendance. “I pride myself on being a forward-thinking, innovative coach. I like to issue challenges at multiple levels and give this high-IQ team the freedom to make plays.”
However, her enthusiasm is not solely tied to strategy. White believes that, as the team with the highest attendance and television ratings, the Fever has the potential to secure more championship banners, helping to elevate women’s basketball to heights that she and other previous players could only dream of achieving. Fever management is optimistic that White’s dual presence will foster continued progress, especially after the team secured its first playoff appearance since 2016 just two months ago.
“We are looking ahead, marking the next phase of what we are creating here,” mentioned Kelly Krauskopf, the president of basketball and business operations for the Fever. “When I first spoke with her, the timing felt incredibly serendipitous. I am eager to see how Stephanie communicates with our players, collaborates with them, and positions them for success.”
White is confident in her capabilities to make an impact and add to her already impressive repertoire in this basketball-centric state. “There’s an unteachable competitive spirit and mentality with players like Clark and Boston. Pairing a point guard with a center—you can’t ask for better bookends to build your team around. I’m thrilled about the opportunity we have to start from these foundations and create a lasting legacy with these two players in Indiana,” White concluded.
“`