Connecticut Sun Find Their Stephanie White Replacement

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Chris Phelps | Last updated Dec 4, 2024 10:51 AM ET

Following the 2024 WNBA season, where the Connecticut Sun were defeated in five games in the semifinals by the Minnesota Lynx, the team and head coach Stephanie White agreed to go their separate ways.

White, the 2023 WNBA Coach of the Year, elected to join a young Indiana Fever team after they dismissed coach Christie Sides, a squad that features three All-Stars in Caitlin Clark, Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell. She will be returning to where she previously coached and played while moving closer to her hometown of West Lebanon.

On Wednesday, the Sun revealed that they have found their replacement for White, announcing Rachid Meziane as the team's new head coach.

"We have named Rachid Meziane as our next head coach. Welcome to Connecticut, Coach Meziane!"

We have named Rachid Meziane as our next head coach.

Welcome to Connecticut, Coach Meziane! #BringTheHeat | #CTSun pic.twitter.com/Smvz7nMptT
— Connecticut Sun (@ConnecticutSun) December 4, 2024

Meziane is a French basketball coach who previously coached ESB Villeneuve-d'Ascq from France's women's professional basketball league Ligue Féminine de Basketball. The 44-year-old has been with the team since 2019 and is currently coaching his sixth season.

In the 2023-24 season, Meziane led his team to a championship, its first since 2017. It was also the runner-up in the previous year.

Meziane also coached the Belgium women's national basketball team in the 2024 Paris Olympics. Although he didn't lead his team to a medal, Meziane nearly pulled off an upset win over France in the semifinals. He did, however, coach Belgium to a gold medal in the 2023 EuroBasket Women tournament, helping him win the Belgian Sports Coach of the Year.

The French coach will be joining a deep Sun team loaded with talent, which includes Team USA star Alyssa Thomas and 2024 Most Improved Player DiJonai Carrington.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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