For seven seasons, Penn State held onto the hope that Carolyn Kieger could rebuild its women’s basketball program. That hope has officially run out.

After ending the 2025-26 NCAA regular season at 11-18 overall and 4-14 in the Big Ten, the Penn State Lady Lions have parted ways with head coach, Carolyn Kieger. This news comes in as Kieger finished her seventh season with the program.

While the decision may not have been easy, the Lady Lions placed 16th out of 18 teams and missed the conference tournament for the second straight year.

“We appreciate Coach Kieger’s commitment and passion she brought to Penn State Lady Lion Basketball,” Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Pat Kraft said in a statement. “Looking ahead, we remain committed to competing at the highest level, and we believe a change in leadership is necessary to propel the program toward sustained excellence.”

Carolyn Kieger arrived in Happy Valley in 2019 after guiding the Marquette Golden Eagles to three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances between 2017 and 2019. So Penn State hoped she would bring that same spark to the Lady Lions. However, the turnaround never fully materialized.

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During her seven-year tenure, Kieger compiled an 84–123 overall record. But her first four seasons showed gradual improvement in the win column. The Lady Lions increased their totals from seven wins in her debut season to 14 by the 2022–23 campaign. It felt like she was the missing piece.

Her most promising stretch came during the 2023–24 season, when Penn State won 22 games and reached the semifinals of the WBIT. At one point in that season, the Lady Lions sat at 16–5 and appeared poised to snap the program’s long NCAA Tournament drought. But a late-season slide derailed those hopes as well, and the team ultimately fell short of a bid to the Big Dance.

Following that season, the program was left disappointed again after the Lady Lions finished the season with just 10 wins. Still, that was understandable as Penn State lost multiple players to graduation and the transfer portal. But what about this season?

Despite a roster that featured high-profile talent such as Kiyomi McMiller, Gracie Merkle, and Moriah Murray, they endured an 11-game losing streak and ultimately finished near the bottom of the conference standings.

The saddest part is that the Lady Lions were once among the sport’s consistent contenders. They enjoyed decades of success throughout the 1980s, 1990s, and early 2000s. But over the past two decades, they have made just four NCAA Tournament appearances, with their last trip coming in 2014.

With Carolyn Kieger’s chapter in Happy Valley now closed, the attention shifts to: who will take over the Lady Lions and attempt to guide the program back to prominence?

Who Could Replace Carolyn Kieger as Penn State’s Next WBB Head Coach?

As the regular season wraps up and conference tournaments take center stage, several programs that fell short of expectations are already turning their attention toward change.

Just recently, Coquese Washington was dismissed by the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. Now, with Carolyn Kieger out, Penn State will also begin evaluating candidates who could guide the program forward.

One name that could generate early interest is Vanessa Blair-Lewis.

The current George Mason Patriots head coach has built a reputation for winning in challenging situations. Before arriving at George Mason, Blair-Lewis captured conference titles at Mount St. Mary’s Mountaineers and turned Bethune-Cookman Wildcats into a consistent 20-win program. She carried that momentum into Fairfax as well, leading George Mason to its first March Madness berth last season.

With deep recruiting ties in the DMV region and a track record of elevating programs, Blair-Lewis could emerge as a compelling candidate for the job.

Another intriguing option could be Tanisha Wright, whose connection to the program runs deep.

Wright starred for the Lady Lions in the early 2000s, earning All-American honors and winning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year three times during her college career. Since then, she has carved out a coaching path in the WNBA, most recently serving as head coach of the Atlanta Dream before joining the staff of the Chicago Sky.

Her blend of professional experience and alumni ties could make her a candidate worth monitoring if Penn State prioritizes familiarity with the program.

Meanwhile, Britney Anderson represents another potential path for the Lady Lions.

Anderson is currently working as an assistant with the Illinois Fighting Illini and has been a part of multiple winning environments throughout her career. With her, Illinois reached the NCAA Tournament last season and secured its first tournament win since 2000.

Her experience working under legendary coach Tara VanDerveer, along with time spent under Kenny Brooks at Virginia Tech, gives her an edge with both high-level programs and the recruiting landscape Penn State must navigate.

With the Lady Lions aiming to rediscover the consistency that once defined their program, the next hire could shape the direction of Penn State for years to come.