Fever Coach Stephanie White Draws Praise on Sunday

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Paolo Songco | Last updated Apr 12, 2026 10:25 PM ET

Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White was at the center of her team’s success last season.

White joined Indiana ahead of the 2025 season following a highly successful two-year stint with the Connecticut Sun. In 2023, White won Coach of the Year after leading the Sun to a 27-13 record in her first season with the organization.

White carried over that winning mentality in Indiana. Despite the injury crisis they faced, White led the Fever to a 24-20 record in 2025, their best regular-season finish since 2015.

Indiana also won the Commissioner’s Cup for the first time in franchise history. They also reached the semifinals of the WNBA playoffs.

Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White before the game against the Golden State Valkyries at Chase Center. Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

This is White’s second stint with the Fever. She served as an assistant coach from 2011 to 2014 before being promoted to head coach. White led the Fever to the Eastern Conference title in her first season as head coach in 2015. She left the team in 2016 to coach at Vanderbilt.

By the time White reunited with the Fever in 2025, she had already established herself as one of the top coaches in the league. On Sunday, Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle reiterated this notion.

"Stephanie White is one of the greatest coaches in the WNBA,” Carlisle declared. “It will go down in the history of the WNBA — she will be one of the greatest ever.

“… Their run and the way they pieced things together with similar challenges last year … That was inspirational."

"Stephanie White is one of the greatest coaches in the WNBA...Their run and the way they pieced things together with similar challenges last year was inspirational."

Coach Carlisle gave a shoutout to the @IndianaFever, who tip off their season May 9 at @GainbridgeFH pic.twitter.com/kZQg83b0oy
— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) April 13, 2026

Carlisle sent his message on White following their 133-121 loss to the Detroit Pistons on Sunday. It was the final game of the regular season for the Pacers, who finished the campaign with a 19-63 record.

Carlisle also expressed his excitement over the Fever’s big moves in WNBA free agency. They have re-signed Kelsey Mitchell, Lexie Hull and Sophie Cunningham, and have added a few new pieces to the roster.

Carlisle says that “it’s all good stuff” for the Fever, especially with White at the helm.

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

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