Home / Sports / Kieger Out as Penn State Women's Basketball Coach
Kieger Out as Penn State Women's Basketball Coach
6 Mar
Summary
- Penn State women's basketball coach's contract was not renewed.
- The team missed the conference tournament for the second consecutive season.
- The program aims to return to past NCAA Tournament success levels.
Penn State's women's basketball program is undergoing a leadership change, with head coach Carolyn Kieger departing after her contract was not renewed. This decision comes after the Lady Lions finished 16th in the Big Ten last season, failing to qualify for the conference tournament for the second year in a row.
Kieger, who was hired in 2019, compiled an overall record of 84-123 during her tenure. While her initial seasons showed gradual improvement, the 2023-24 season started with the program's best-ever start at 16-5, raising hopes for an NCAA Tournament appearance. However, a significant late-season collapse dashed those hopes.
The program, which enjoyed decades of success in the 1980s, 90s, and early 2000s with regular NCAA Tournament berths, has seen a decline in recent years, with only four tournament appearances in the last two decades. The athletic director expressed hope that the next coach will restore the program to its former glory, with a search for a successor beginning immediately.
