Current:Home > ScamsNikki McCray-Penson, Olympic gold-medalist and Women's Basketball Hall of Famer, dies at 51 -TradeWisdom
Nikki McCray-Penson, Olympic gold-medalist and Women's Basketball Hall of Famer, dies at 51
View
Date:2025-04-12 00:50:18
Two-time Olympic gold-medalist and former ABL MVP Nikki McCray-Penson has died. She was 51.
McCray-Penson was an assistant women's basketball coach at Rutgers last season and the school on Friday confirmed her death. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2013.
She joined Dawn Staley as an assistant coach at South Carolina from 2008-17. She was part of the Gamecocks' first national championship in 2017.
McCray-Penson won gold medals with the U.S. women's basketball team at the 1996 and 2000 Olympics. The 1996 team sparked the formation of the WNBA and ABL. She played in the ABL and won MVP honors in 1997 before heading over to the WNBA. McCray-Penson was a three-time All-Star in that league while playing for the Washington Mystics.
In a statement, the Mystics said McCray-Penson "exemplified what love of the game and hard work can accomplish."
"She was a fan favorite here in DC and brought joy to those lucky enough to be in her large circle of friends and admirers," former Mystics coach Mike Thibault wrote. "Rest in peace, Nikki."
She played eight seasons in the WNBA before retiring in 2006. She was an assistant coach at Western Kentucky for three seasons.
McCray-Penson then became the head coach at Old Dominion for three seasons, going 24-6 in 2020. She spent one year at Mississippi State before stepping down for health reasons and returned to coaching at Rutgers last season.
McCray-Penson played at Tennessee from 1991-95 under Hall of Fame coach Pat Summitt. The guard was a two-time SEC Player of the Year and a two-time Kodak All-America standout during her junior and senior seasons for the Lady Vols.
She was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012.
- In:
- South Carolina
- WNBA
- rutgers university
- Obituary
veryGood! (8)
Related
- Juan Soto praise of Mets' future a tough sight for Yankees, but World Series goal remains
- Washington mom charged with murder, accused of stabbing son repeatedly pleads not guilty
- MLB Mexico City series: What to know for Astros vs. Rockies at Alfredo Harp Helú Stadium, TV info
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Dressing on the Side
- Average rate on 30
- Teen accidentally kills his younger brother with a gun found in an alley
- Bachelor Nation's Nick Viall Marries Natalie Joy 2 Months After Welcoming Baby Girl
- Vanessa Lachey Says She Was Blindsided by NCIS: Hawai'i Cancellation
- Dick Vitale announces he is cancer free: 'Santa Claus came early'
- Regulators close Philadelphia-based Republic First Bank, first US bank failure this year
Ranking
- Highlights from Trump’s interview with Time magazine
- FTC issuing over $5.6 million in refunds after settlement with security company Ring
- Planning on retiring at 65? Most Americans retire far earlier — and not by choice.
- Horoscopes Today, April 26, 2024
- How to watch the 'Blue Bloods' Season 14 finale: Final episode premiere date, cast
- Menthol cigarette ban delayed due to immense feedback, Biden administration says
- News anchor Poppy Harlow announces departure from CNN
- David Pryor, former governor and senator of Arkansas, is remembered
Recommendation
Stamford Road collision sends motorcyclist flying; driver arrested
Oregon university pauses gifts and grants from Boeing in response to student and faculty demands
Police in Tennessee fatally shot man after he shot a woman in the face. She is expected to survive
Planned Parenthood announces $10 million voter campaign in North Carolina for 2024 election
Buckingham Palace staff under investigation for 'bar brawl'
Tornadoes destroy homes in Nebraska as severe storms tear across Midwest
In Beijing, Blinken and Xi stress need for continued U.S.-China dialogue to avoid any miscommunications
Wild onion dinners mark the turn of the season in Indian Country