The Penn State Lady Lions basketball team represents Pennsylvania State University and plays its home games in the Bryce Jordan Center. In 2013, the Lady Lions became just the 12th program in NCAA Division I history to reach 850 wins. Penn State has won 8 regular season Big Ten titles and the first 2 Big Ten tournament titles in 1995 and 1996. Prior to joining the Big Ten, the Lady Lions competed in the Atlantic 10 conference. The Lady Lions have 25 NCAA tournament appearances as of 2014, the most in the Big Ten. The team's best post-season finish came in 2000 when the Lady Lions reached the Final Four before losing to eventual champion UConn. The Lady Lions captured the WNIT title in 1998 defeating Baylor 59–56 in Waco, Texas. Notable alumni include WBCA First Team All-Americans Suzie McConnell, Susan Robinson, Helen Darling, and Kelly Mazzante. ESPN correspondent Lisa Salters is the shortest player in Lady Lions history at 5'-2".

Current coaching staff Position Name Year Alma mater Head coach Tanisha Wright 2026 Penn State (2005) Assistant coach/General Manager Jason Crafton 2025 Nyack (2003) Assistant coach Kelly Mazzante 2026 Penn State (2004) Assistant coach Octavia Blue 2026 Miami (FL) (1998) Assistant coach/Video coordinator Oliver Cadet 2026 UCF (2022)

Pink Zone at Penn State Annually, the Lady Lions don pink jerseys in support of several organizations that fight breast cancer in what is now known as the "Pink Zone at Penn State" game. The Lady Lions were the first Division I team in the nation to wear pink jerseys, a growing trend in athletics. Then-head coach Rene Portland developed the idea in 2006 with money from the Big Ten Conference, and the first game (termed the "Think Pink" game) occurred in February 2007 against Wisconsin. In 2012, the Pink Zone at Penn State raised a record $203,000 to distribute to its beneficiaries.

All-time season results

|- style="background:#ffd;" | colspan="8" style="text-align:center;"| Atlantic 10 Conference

|- style="background:#ffd;" | colspan="8" style="text-align:center;"| Independent

|- style="background:#ffd;" | colspan="8" style="text-align:center;"| Big Ten Conference

* The Lady Lions finished 19–11 in 2004–05, but three wins were credited to assistant head coach Annie Troyan.

Source:

Postseason results

NCAA Division I The Lady Lions have appeared the NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament 25 times. They have a record of 32–25. 1982 #4 First RoundSweet Sixteen #5 Clemson#1 USC W 96–75L 70–73 1983 #5 First RoundSweet SixteenElite Eight #4 NC State#1 Cheyney#2 Old Dominion W 94–80W 73–72L 60–74 1984 #8 First Round #1 Old Dominion L 65–87 1985 #3 First RoundSweet Sixteen #6 UNC#2 Ohio State W 98–79L 78–81 1986 #3 First RoundSweet Sixteen #6 NC State#2 Rutgers W 63–59L 72–85 1987 #5 First Round #4 Ole Miss L 75–80 1988 #9 First RoundSecond Round #8 La Salle#1 Auburn W 86–85L 66–94 1990 #7 First RoundSecond Round #10 Florida State#2 Virginia W 83–73L 64–85 1991 #1 Second Round #8 James Madison L 71–73 1992 #3 Second RoundSweet Sixteen #11 DePaul#2 Ole Miss W 77–54L 72–75 1993 #3 Second Round #6 Georgetown L 67–68 1994 #1 First RoundSecond RoundSweet SixteenElite Eight #16 Fordham#9 Kansas#4 Seton Hall#6 Alabama W 94–41W 85–68W 64–60L 82–96 1995 #2 First RoundSecond Round #15 Jackson State#7 NC State W 75–62L 74–76 1996 #2 First RoundSecond RoundSweet Sixteen #15 Youngstown State#10 Kent State#6 Auburn W 94–71W 86–59L 69–75 1999 #8 First RoundSecond Round #9 Virginia#1 Louisiana Tech W 82–69L 62–79 2000 #2 First RoundSecond RoundSweet SixteenElite EightFinal Four #15 Youngstown State#7 Auburn#3 Iowa State#1 Louisiana Tech#1 Connecticut W 83–63W 75–69W 66–65W 86–65L 67–89 2001 #6 First Round #11 TCU L 75–77 2002 #4 First RoundSecond RoundSweet Sixteen #13 Chattanooga#5 FIU#1 Connecticut W 82–67W 96–79L 64–82 2003 #4 First RoundSecond RoundSweet Sixteen #13 Holy Cross#5 South Carolina#1 Tennessee W 64–33W 77–67L 58–86 2004 #1 First RoundSecond RoundSweet SixteenElite Eight #16 Hampton#8 Virginia Tech#5 Notre Dame#2 Connecticut W 79–42W 61–48W 55–49L 49–66 2005 #4 First Round #13 Liberty L 70–78 2011 #6 First RoundSecond Round #11 Dayton#3 DePaul W 75–66L 73–75 2012 #4 First RoundSecond RoundSweet Sixteen #13 UTEP#5 LSU#1 Connecticut W 85–77W 90–80L 59–77 2013 #3 First RoundSecond Round #14 Cal Poly#6 LSU W 85–55L 66–71 2014 #3 First RoundSecond RoundSweet Sixteen #14 Wichita State#11 Florida#2 Stanford W 62–56W 83–61L 57–82

AIAW Division I The Nittany Lions made one appearance in the AIAW National Division I basketball tournament, with a combined record of 0–2. 1976 First RoundConsolation First Round Delta StateSouthern Connecticut State L, 46–88L, 51–63

Awards and honors

Atlantic 10 awards Atlantic 10 Player of the Year Kahadeejah Herbert, 1985 Susan Robinson, 1991 Atlantic 10 Freshman of the Year Suzie McConnell, 1985 Susan Robinson, 1989 Helen Holloway, 1991 Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year Rene Portland, 1983

Big Ten awards Suzy Favor Big Ten Female Student-Athlete of the Year Kelly Mazzante, 2004 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Tanisha Wright, 2003, 2004, 2005 Dara Taylor, 2014 Chicago Tribune Silver Basketball Helen Darling, 2000 Kelly Mazzante, 2003, 2004 Big Ten Player of the Year Helen Darling, 2000 Kelly Mazzante, 2003, 2004 Maggie Lucas, 2013, 2014 Big Ten Freshman of the Year Kelly Mazzante, 2001 Maggie Lucas, 2011 Big Ten Sixth Player of the Year Maggie Lucas, 2011 Big Ten Coach of the Year Rene Portland, 1994, 2000, 2003, 2004 Coquese Washington, 2012, 2013, 2014

National and regional awards

Wade Trophy 1992, Susan Robinson

Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award 1988, Suzie McConnell 2000, Helen Darling 2013, Alex Bentley

CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year 2004, Kelly Mazzante

Eastern College Athletic Conference Player of the Year 1991, Susan Robinson

WBCA Coach of the Year 1991, Rene Portland 2004, Rene Portland

USBWA Coach of the Year 1991, Rene Portland 1992, Rene Portland

Black Coaches & Administrators Female Coach of the Year 2011, Coquese Washington 2013, Coquese Washington

References

External links