McCray-Penson, a loving wife and mother, was one of the most remarkable women's basketball players the sport has ever seen. Before being named the head coach at Mississippi State in 2020, she was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012 following a professional career that saw her win two Olympic Gold Medals in 1996 and 2000, play nine seasons in the WNBA with three All-Star appearances, win the 1997 ABL Championship while being named the ABL MVP.
Former Old Dominion University women's basketball head coach and two-time Olympic gold medalist Nikki McCray-Penson died Thursday. She was 51.
"It's a challenge to put into words how devastating the news of Nikki McCray-Penson's death is for all of us associated with ODU. Nikki had a lasting impact on the game of basketball across the globe as she enjoyed the pinnacle of success on the world's biggest stages both as an athlete and a coach," ODU Director of Athletics Wood Selig said. "From the first day I met Nikki, I knew she would experience the same success as a coach that she experienced as an athlete. Her drive, passion, enthusiasm and love for the game made everyone around her better and motivated everyone to work harder to achieve the high standard of excellence that Nikki always expected. It is such a shame that the world and future student-athletes will never get to enjoy coach McCray-Penson fulfilling her coaching career. Nikki's husband, Thomas, and son, Thomas Jr., are in all Monarchs’ thoughts and prayers at this time. The ODU women's basketball program is better today because of the many contributions made by Nikki and her family while they were here in Norfolk."
McCray-Penson was a two-time SEC Player of the Year at Tennessee in 1994 and 1995 after a decorated career at Collierville High School near Memphis. She led Tennessee to three SEC regular-season championships, two SEC Tournament titles and a 1995 Final Four appearance in her four-year career. She was a two-time All-American and who was inducted into the National Federation of State High School Associations Hall of Fame in 2015 and the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in 2022.
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. The former Lady Vols standout joined Rutgers as an assistant on head coach Coquese Washington's staff for the 2022-23 season.
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