- Today
- Holidays
- Birthdays
- Reminders
- Cities
- Atlanta
- Austin
- Baltimore
- Berwyn
- Beverly Hills
- Birmingham
- Boston
- Brooklyn
- Buffalo
- Charlotte
- Chicago
- Cincinnati
- Cleveland
- Columbus
- Dallas
- Denver
- Detroit
- Fort Worth
- Houston
- Indianapolis
- Knoxville
- Las Vegas
- Los Angeles
- Louisville
- Madison
- Memphis
- Miami
- Milwaukee
- Minneapolis
- Nashville
- New Orleans
- New York
- Omaha
- Orlando
- Philadelphia
- Phoenix
- Pittsburgh
- Portland
- Raleigh
- Richmond
- Rutherford
- Sacramento
- Salt Lake City
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Jose
- Seattle
- Tampa
- Tucson
- Washington
Penn State Fires Women's Basketball Coach Carolyn Kieger
Nittany Lions part ways with coach after seven seasons of mostly unsuccessful results.
Published on Mar. 5, 2026
Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›
Penn State has fired women's basketball head coach Carolyn Kieger after seven seasons with the program. The Nittany Lions went 11-18 overall and 4-14 in Big Ten play this past season, and Kieger's final record at Penn State was 84-123. Athletic director Pat Kraft cited a need for a change in leadership to propel the program toward "sustained excellence" as the reason for Kieger's dismissal.
Why it matters
Penn State women's basketball has a storied history, with 25 NCAA Tournament appearances, including a four-year stretch of success in the early 2010s. However, the program has struggled in recent years, failing to make the tournament during Kieger's seven-season tenure. This coaching change represents an opportunity for the Nittany Lions to find new leadership and try to return the team to its former levels of competitiveness and success.
The details
Carolyn Kieger, a former Marquette point guard who later became the Golden Eagles' head coach, was hired by Penn State in 2019. In her seven seasons leading the Nittany Lions, she was unable to guide the team to a winning record in Big Ten play, with her best season being a 22-13 mark in 2023-2024 that saw the team briefly crack the Top 25. However, that team did not make the NCAA Tournament. Penn State went just 11-18 overall and 4-14 in conference play this past season, leading to Kieger's dismissal.
- Carolyn Kieger was hired as Penn State's women's basketball head coach in 2019.
- Penn State went 22-13 in the 2023-2024 season, the only winning record during Kieger's tenure.
- Penn State finished the 2025-2026 season with an 11-18 overall record and 4-14 in Big Ten play.
- Penn State athletic director Pat Kraft announced Kieger's firing on March 5, 2026.
The players
Carolyn Kieger
The former Marquette point guard and head coach who served as Penn State's women's basketball head coach for seven seasons.
Pat Kraft
The Penn State athletic director who announced the firing of Carolyn Kieger and will lead the search for a new women's basketball head coach.
What they’re saying
“We appreciate Coach Kieger's commitment and passion she brought to Penn State Lady Lion Basketball. 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.”
— Pat Kraft, Penn State Athletic Director (on3.com)
What’s next
Penn State will begin a national search for a new women's basketball head coach to replace the departed Carolyn Kieger.
The takeaway
This coaching change represents an opportunity for Penn State women's basketball to find new leadership and try to return the program to its former levels of competitiveness and success after several seasons of struggles under Kieger's tenure.
