Connecticut Sun’s Stephanie White 7th WNBA head coach dismissed this off-season

The Connecticut Sun parted ways with head coach Stephanie White on Monday amid reports she could be headed back to the Indiana Fever.

“We want to thank Stephanie for her time in Connecticut and her commitment to our organization over the past two seasons,” Sun president Jen Rizzotti said in a news release. “We wish her the best in her future endeavors.”

The Chicago Sun-Times reported earlier Monday that the Fever were targeting White to replace Christie Sides, who was fired on Sunday.

White, 47, previously coached the Fever from 2015-16, compiling a 37-31 record before departing to become the head coach at Vanderbilt for five seasons.

She took over the Sun in 2023, leading them to a 27-13 record that year and a 28-12 finish in 2024 before losing in the playoff semifinals both seasons.  

White was named WNBA coach of the year in 2023.

The Fever parted ways with Sides after a 20-20 season that ended in the opening round of the playoffs. Sides was 33-47 over two seasons with Indiana.

Connecticut marks the seventh of 12 WNBA teams to fire its head coach this off-season, following the Los Angeles Sparks, Chicago Sky, Atlanta Dream, Dallas Wings, Washington Mystics and Fever.

White’s name has also been linked to Chicago’s coaching vacancy. She began her WNBA coaching career as an assistant with the Sky from 2007-10 before working as a Fever assistant from 2011-14.

White played high school and college basketball (Purdue) in Indiana before  getting drafted in the second round by the WNBA’s Charlotte Sting in 1999.