Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White watches the game from the sidelines Friday, May 30, 2025, during the game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The Connecticut Sun defeated the Indiana Fever, 85-83. Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Fever Coach Stephanie White Missing Sky Rematch for 'Personal Reasons'

Originally posted on Indiana Fever on SI | By Grant Young | Last updated Jun 7, 2025 11:59 AM ET

The Indiana Fever are looking to improve their record to 4-4 when they play a road game against the Chicago Sky on June 7.

While the Fever routed the Sky at home exactly three weeks ago, this contest is surely going to be different than that one. Not only is star guard Caitlin Clark sidelined, but the Fever will also be without the most important member of their coaching staff.

On June 6, Chloe Peterson of IndyStar made an X post that read, "An additional note: head coach Steph White was not with the team today because of personal reasons.

"She will not travel with the team to Chicago this afternoon. Her status for the game tomorrow is TBD."

And on June 7, Peterson updated this story with an X post that wrote, "BREAKING: Stephanie White will miss Indiana's game in Chicago at the United Center tonight, a team spokesperson confirmed to me.

"Austin Kelly will step in as acting head coach."

BREAKING: Stephanie White will miss Indiana's game in Chicago at the United Center tonight, a team spokesperson confirmed to me.

Austin Kelly will step in as acting head coach.

More:https://t.co/b0wWqHW3i9
— Chloe Peterson (@chloepeterson67) June 7, 2025

While this is undoubtedly a tough loss for the Fever, the assistant coaching staff should be able to make up for White's slack on Saturday. Austin Kelly became part of White's staff with the Connecticut Sun in 2023 and came to Indiana with her when she accepted the Fever head coaching job last year.

It remains to be seen how long White will be out for, and the "personal reasons" Peterson initially alluded to aren't specified.

It will be interesting to note whether this will impact the Fever's game plan at all against Angel Reese and a Sky team that is looking for revenge after that brutal 93-58 defeat on May 17.

This article first appeared on Indiana Fever on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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