Nygaard said she thought living in the market showed a higher level of seriousness by both the team and coach, and that it shows everyone that the WNBA "isn't just some kind of summer league. No portion of NBA.com may be duplicated, redistributed or manipulated in any form. Nygaard, who was born in Scottsdale but moved when she was a year old, said the promise of getting a house with a pool helped sell her kids on the move. During the WNBA off-season, she played in professional basketball leagues in Europe, including Germany (2001), Spain (1999) and Italy (1998). The Mercury focused on candidates they thought they could get. Despite her imminent retirement, the Mercury are more likely to go into a retooling mode rather than a rebuild. Her leadership combined with stars like Taurasi and Brittney Griner resulted in years of success. Following her Olympic triumph, Coachman returned to Albany State to compete her education and surprised everyone when she announced her retirement at age 24. She got her first WNBA coaching position in 2008 as an assistant for the San Antonio Silver Stars and she most recently served as an assistant for the Las Vegas Aces under coach Bill Laimbeer during the 2021 season. In her hometown, Alice Avenue and Coachman Elementary School were named in her honor. She is also the girls basketball head coach at Windward School in Los Angeles. ", Nygaard: 'Ready for challenge' as Mercury coach, WNBA mock draft: Villanova's Siegrist soars into lottery pick, Serena, Griner honored at NAACP Image Awards, Sparks officially re-sign forward N. Ogwumike, Griner on court in 1st open workout since release, WNBA draft set for N.Y., to have 'Orange Carpet', 2-time All-Star C. Ogwumike back with Sparks, Griner officially rejoins Mercury in 'special signing', Yang joins Sparks after FIBA silver with China, WNBA trade grades: Why Wings, Liberty earn top marks in Saturday's four-team trade. Pitman was hoping to hire a former WNBA player who was committed to living in Arizona full time. She returns to her home state after 19 years in the Los Angeles area. Vanessa is a great teacher of the game, with coaching experience at all levels including the WNBA and internationally with USA Basketball said Laimbeer. On January 24, 2022, she was named the head coach of the Phoenix Mercury. Her coaching career began while still an active WNBA player as an assistant at Long Beach State University (2003), and then the following season at Pepperdine University (2004). How Breanna Stewart's move impacts the Liberty, Storm and the WNBA, WNBA free agency and trade tracker: Latest deals and news, Sparks' Talbot to miss season with torn ACL, Source: Griner back with Mercury on 1-year deal, Taurasi, 40, signs multiyear deal with Mercury, ESPN's Rowe, Spears receive Curt Gowdy award, Happy birthdays to MJ: Jordan's not the only one sharing his birthday with big-name stars, Former Iowa, Storm center Edwards dies at 49, Jefferson leaves Lynx, signs contract with Mercury, Nygaard: 'Ready for challenge' as Mercury coach, 'She will not be outworked': Vanessa Nygaard brings player's mentality to Phoenix Mercury, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Member of Pro Football Writers of America. With that, Nygaard hopped a flight Monday for her new job in her new city, the task of guiding the WNBA's all-time leading scorer to another championship awaiting her. WebVanessa Nygaard (born March 13, 1975) is a forward for the Portland Fire. , money, salary, income, and assets. At one point, Pitman thought he would have five final candidates. Nygaard was selected by the New York Liberty in the fourth round (39th overall pick) of the 1998 WNBA Draft. American basketball coach and former player, "MERCURY NAMES VANESSA NYGAARD HEAD COACH", Pepperdine University coaches profile and interview, April 27, 2005 Houston Comets press release of Nygaard's retirement from the WNBA, January 6, 2009 Washington Mystics press release of Nygaard's joining the coaching staff, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Vanessa_Nygaard&oldid=1141742959, Basketball players from Scottsdale, Arizona, Parade High School All-Americans (girls' basketball), Pepperdine Waves women's basketball coaches, Stanford Cardinal women's basketball players, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 26 February 2023, at 15:36. THE MERCURY'S SEARCH didn't start in earnest until Dec. 7, the day after it was announced that coach Sandy Brondello's contract wouldn't be renewed after eight seasons. South Koreas Ha Na Hang set the scoring record at Sentosa Golf Clubs Serapong Coursein 2016, finishing at 19-under 269. ET on Monday. Or write about sports? During her four seasons, she helped Stanford You just take the lemon and wash your mouth with it; its not like an orange, that you eat it and feel heavy. She missed the 1998 and most of the 1999 seasons due to injury, but joined the starting lineup with the Portland Fire team in 2000 and 2001 and with the Miami Sol team in 2002. Vanessa was born to her parents in Scottsdale, Arizona, United States. (Photo But earlier in 1948, it appeared that Coachman might miss the Olympic Games altogether. ", "There's a commitment in this league to honoring diversity and representation that maybe other leagues aren't doing, but we are definitely doing that here," she said. Lets stipulate that things wouldnt be normal around the Phoenix Mercury this season no matter what. "She was someone that I thought was a really good candidate for us.". All six former players were hired in the last 13 months, starting with Johnson in December 2020. She was named the Cal-Hi Sports State Coach of the Year for 2019-20. "But I do think I had maxed out what I could do at the high school level and I was ready for a new challenge. Vandersloot to New York, the rise of superteams and a Liberty-Aces WNBA Finals? She previously played college ball at Stanford, where she reached three Final Fours. "I don't know that it changed a lot," Pitman said of the impact of Weatherspoon's decision on Phoenix's search. For Phoenix to ultimately make this a successful hire, Nygaard needs to get the Mercury to contend for a title yet again and bridge the gap to life after Taurasi. I am honored and excited to join the Las Vegas Aces coaching staff, said Nygaard. She also played for the Cleveland Rockers, the Charlotte Sting, and the Los Angeles Sparks. 39 overall) of the 1998 Draft, but injuries prevented the 6-1 forward from playing that season. As Griners production goes, so goes the Mercurys success. It was while attending Madison High School in Albany, Ga., that she joined the boys track team, and coach Harry E. Lash recognized and nurtured her talent. Kozar held a separate call with Griner, who's playing in Russia. In 2003, Nygaard became an assistant coach for the women's basketball team at California State University, Long Beach. The Mercury reached the WNBA Finals last season, but they fell to the Chicago Sky three games to one. She met with President Harry Trumanat the White House and former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, and she was the guest of honor at a banquet held by the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority. All rights reserved. We just thought it was time for a new voice for our team, Pitman said. She majored in American Studies and graduated in 1998. After Vanessagraduated from Stanford, she started her six-year career in the WNBA. Scores from any date in BAA/NBA or ABA history, Frequently Asked Questions about the NBA, WNBA and Basketball, Basketball-Reference.com Blog and Articles, Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREE. PHOENIX -- As Phoenix Mercury president Vince Kozar walked toward the security checkpoint at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport the morning of Jan. 5, the masked agent checking IDs and boarding passes looked familiar. The mayor, he didnt shake my hand, and that was what everybody was talking about, how this woman was coming from England with this gold medal and the mayor didnt shake her hand, she remembered of the day. That was eight days after the Las Vegas Aces replaced Bill Laimbeer with Becky Hammon. Despite many questions that await this offseason, Nygaard can still enjoy the fact that much of the championship core will remain intact. She made being a WNBA head coach her goal since her days playing in the league ended in 2003. The Athletic first reported the move on Friday. Nygaard served as an assistant with the Las Vegas Aces last season when she took a year off from high school coaching. The 49ers 2019-20 campaign came to an end when COVID-19 canceled the Conference USA Championship as the team was preparing for its quarterfinals game against Western Kentucky. Join our linker program. Nygaard was born in Scottsdale but Wright helped lead Seattle to nine straight playoff appearances, and was a member of the 2010 Storm team that won the WNBA Championship. You can win with less talent if you have great chemistry. Wright signed with the Laimbeer-helmed Liberty, ultimately playing for three seasons in New York (2015-16, 2019). She was just 16 years old when she was offered a scholarship in 1939. Data Provided By Carlsbad in Carlsbad, California, Draft: New York Liberty, 4th round (9th pick, 39th overall), 1998 Draft, More Vanessa Nygaard Basketball Reference pages, Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Wednesday, March 1, 4:56AM. She most recently worked as an assistant for the Las Vegas Aces in 2021 and led Winwarda prep school in Los Angelesfor the past 10 years. She is currently serving as an assistant coach with the Washington Mystics of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). PHOENIX -- During the car ride from her home in Ladera Heights, California, to the airport for her flight to Arizona to be introduced as the Phoenix Mercury's head coach, Vanessa Nygaard's 9-year-old son wished her luck and then told her she was the shepherd. Vanessa Nygaard, who was an All-American at Stanford, played five seasons in the WNBA. The Athletic first reported the move on Friday. Becoming a pioneer for Black American women in track and field wasnt initially on the radar for Alice Coachman, but thats exactly what happened in 1948 when Coachman became the first Black woman ever from any country to win an Olympic gold medal. However, general manager Jim Pitman ultimately decided it was time to get a fresh voice in the locker room and let go of Brondello on Dec. 6. If Griner is engaged throughout the season and happy with the teams direction, Phoenix can count on an unstoppable force patrolling the paint every night. Tanisha Wright joined the Aces coaching staff prior to the 2020 season after a 14-year WNBA playing career, helping the team to a franchise-best 18-4 record and its second WNBA Finals appearance. Duties included cleaning and maintaining sports facilities and even mending uniforms. We were looking for a teacher of the game, a master tactician, and someone with the temperament to lead a roster that mixes veteran experience with youthful potential, that has championship aspirations every season. Her best season came with the Sol in 2002, when she averaged 7.9 points and 3.8 rebounds per game. 6 LexiThompson, who told reporters she would be at home in Florida practicing. "It left my candidates on the table," Pitman said. Kozar and Pitman were headed to New Orleans to interview Pelicans assistant Teresa Weatherspoon, one of four finalists for the Mercury's vacant head-coaching job. Three of the finalists were interviewed in person in Arizona, starting with Nygaard on Jan. 3, followed by Nakase and White. Nygaard, born in Scottsdale, Ariz., has nearly two decades of coaching experience at the high school, college, WNBA and international level, following a six-year playing career in the WNBA and standout run at Stanford. In addition, Tonya Holley, who served as the Aces director of business operations during their first season in Las Vegas, is rejoining the team as its director of basketball operations. The agent, along with every other Mercury fan and employee, knew they were looking for a head coach. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. The Mercury will be hosting a press conference with general manager Jim Pitman to announce Nygaard as the teams new head coach on Monday at 4:30 p.m. Nygaard has never been a head coach in the WNBA before. In 2021, she joined head coach Bill Laimbeer on the Las Vegas Aces staff as an assistant coach. She was head coach at Windward for 10 "As our league is getting bigger and broader, it becomes more important, in my mind, that we have someone that's here.". If I had gone to the Games and failed, there wouldnt be anyone to follow in my footsteps. Thanks to Mondays announcement, six of the WNBAs 12 head coaches are former players. Nygaard was named as the head coach of the Phoenix Mercury on January 24, 2022.[1]. Twitter: The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. Phoenix Mercurys Head Coach Leads With Authentic Example. Pitman said he spent about 45 minutes on each call, all made from his office in the Footprint Center. Kozar's meeting for each of the three candidates in Phoenix was about an hour long. "People that I talked to were just really high on how good of a relationship-builder and communicator she is, not to mention how good of an X's and O's person she is. She joined the Stars in 2006 after five years in a variety of capacities with the Charlotte Sting. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. If they found out during their research that a candidate likely wouldn't take the job, that name was removed from the list. The Brooklyn native played her first 10 seasons with Seattle after the Storm made her the 12th overall pick of the 2005 WNBA Draft. She also spent one season with the Minnesota Lynx (2018). Las Vegas (April 14, 2021)Las Vegas Aces Head Coach Bill Laimbeer announced today that the team is adding former WNBA player and coach Vanessa Nygaard to the teams coaching staff. The course features large Bermudagrass greens, with an average size of 10,600 square feet. And, of course, I glanced over into the stands where my coach was, and she was clapping her hands.. "The players are more a part of it than in any other league, the coaches, and that means access for my staff.". Join Facebook to connect with Vanessa Nygaard and others you may know. Nygaard has resigned as the Windward coach and plans to move her family to the Phoenix area, with which she is familiar. The 25-year-old Vu, a three-time All-American at UCLA, came from six strokes back after 54 holes to beatthird-round leader and tour rookie Natthakritta Vongtaveelap, who was trying to win in her first start as an LPGA member. But the addition of DeShields provides another offensive weapon to the roster, which should lighten up the hefty offensive load that Griner and Diggins-Smith had to carry last year. Position: Forward. We present them here for purely educational purposes. She is not dating anyone. Phoenix went through an exhaustive coaching search, with rumored finalists including Natalie Nakase, Teresa Weatherspoon and Stephanie White. This season, Charlotte earned a trip to the WNIT. Since 2012, Nygaard has also served as the head coach at the Windward School in Los Angeles. The next morning, Pitman called Sarver to inform him that the Mercury's list was down to three. The Valley native played five seasons in the WNBA for four different teams from 1999-2003. "But it certainly helped us crystallize that path.". Nygaard started her coaching career during her final year in the WNBA, serving as an assistant for Long Beach State University in 2003. By accessing any information beyond this page, you agree to abide by the NBA.com. Vanessa Nygaard, the new head coach of the Phoenix Mercury, one of the WNBAs founding franchises, is still figuring out how to make things work in the Valley of the Sun. Tonya Holley is a 17-year veteran of the WNBA who worked for the Aces during their inaugural season as the teams director of business operations. But in Nygaard -- a former Stanford star who went to the Final Four three times from 1995 to 1997 -- Pitman saw an ability to create a cohesive team. The last interview took place on Jan. 7, the same day Brondello was announced as the New York Liberty's new coach. Last season, Tanishas impact on our WNBA Finals run was immeasurable as we navigated the challenges of the bubble, and Im looking forward to working with both of them as a staff in 2021.. Phoenix general manager Jim Pitman introduced Vanessa Nygaard as the Mercury's head coach Monday. The coaching search lasted 44 days and included more than 20 candidates. Barry Gossage / NBAE via Getty Images Vanessa Nygaard's 'unconventional' path to Mercury head coaching job, Former Mercury forward Penny Taylor named Hall of Fame finalist, Phoenix Mercury release 36-game schedule for 2022 regular season, Phoenix Mercury, head coach Sandy Brondello mutually agree to part ways, The Cardinals bring fresh voices and more Newsmaker Week 2023 highlights, Mercurys Brittney Griner works out in front of media Thursday, GM: Mercury prepared for heavy media coverage this upcoming season, Mercury re-sign Brittney Griner on reported 1-year deal, Diana Taurasi signs multi-year contract to stay with Phoenix Mercury. These younger players struggled to see the floor in 2021. The Mercury appeared to have zeroed in on Weatherspoon, but the former WNBA great and current New Orleans Pelicans assistant coach ultimately chose to stay put. Her best season came in 2000 when she averaged 7.9 points and 3.8 rebounds for the expansion Fire. 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