Lady Vol Connections
Nikki McCray-Penson
Head Coaching Record:
Old Dominion head coach (2017-present): 29-33
Pros:
As a player, Nikki McCray was a star for the Lady Vols and helped them win the 1991 national championship. She went on to spend over a decade in the WNBA and was a three-time All-Star. She coached at South Carolina as an assistant from 2008-17 before being hired as Old Dominion’s head coach, and she’s helped turn around the Lady Monarchs. Old Dominion was 11-21 the season before McCray took over, and they went 8-23 in her first year at the helm. But she led Old Dominion to a 21-10 mark this past season, their best record since the 2014-15 season.
Cons:
While she was a great player for the Lady Vols, McCray simply doesn’t have the coaching chops to be considered a top candidate head of other names at this point. She’s on a good trajectory at Old Dominion, but hiring her would likely be a reach right now.
2 Responses
She is a good coach. She did not have a good many players who could make enough shots against good teams. Possibly rebounding could have been stronger. Making the shots was the deal. Coach couldn’t shoot em in herself. Of course there is defense and I didn’t see them play enough to comment.
UConn and Tennesee will revive their competition in the near future which will be a good thing raising rafters like the old days!
I think the next Tennessee Vol Coach should be Kara Lawson or Candace Parker. GREAT ATHELETES!