Fever name Marianne Stanley as new head coach; Catchings adds GM duties

Marianne Stanley, a member of the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame and one of the great names in women’s basketball as both a coach and a player, is the new head coach of the Indiana Fever.

Stanley comes to Indiana from Washington, where she was named WNBA Coach of the Year as coach of the Mystics in 2002. She has served as an assistant with the Washington Mystics since 2010, helping coach Mike Thibault lead the Mystics to the 2019 WNBA championship.

The Fever also announced that Tamika Catchings, Fever vice president of basketball operations, will add general manager duties to her portfolio.

“The future of the Fever is bright with the addition of Coach Stanley to our organization,” said Dr. Allison Barber, Fever president and chief operating officer.  “Our players and our fans know that we are committed to growing a competitive franchise that will make significant contributions to our community and to the future of women and girls in sports.”

Said Catchings: “Stanley is hands-down one of the most decorated and experienced coaches in the WNBA. The thing that excites me most is her ability to see and teach the game. Coming off the Mystics’ championship run this year, she brings a championship-type mentality and knows what it takes to win – both on and off the court.”

Stanley has a long resume that includes, in addition to her work with the Mystics, assistant coaching duties with the Los Angeles Sparks and New York Liberty. She has a 415-224 record in 21 seasons as a college head coach at Old Dominion (where she won the 1985 NCAA championship), Pennsylvania, Southern California, Stanford and Cal. She earned All-American honors as a player at Immaculata College in 1975 and 1976. She was inducted in the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002.

“I felt a connection, a fire and an excitement about stepping on board as the next head coach of the Fever,” Stanley said. “I could not ask for more committed and passionate partners than Allison Barber and Tamika Catchings. They are first-class people, dedicated professionals and tireless advocates for Fever basketball. Tamika is the embodiment of the type of competitor and champion that we hope to develop with the Fever. I look forward to working together with Tamika, Allison and the outstanding, talented core group of Fever players in the quest to build a championship culture and mindset here in Indianapolis.”