A spokesman for Rutgers University has confirmed that Nikki McCray-Penson, a former basketball player and two-time Olympic gold medalist has died at the age of 51.
There was no mention of the reason for death. 2013 saw McCray-Penson receive a breast cancer diagnosis.
“Today is a deeply sad and emotional day for everyone who knew and loved Nikki,” Rutgers head coach Coquese Washington said in a news release. “Nikki had a big smile and an even bigger heart. She was full of life, energy, and was so much fun to be around. Nikki touched the lives of many because she made it her mission to uplift others and help them achieve whatever dreams and goals they expressed. She was so devoted to her husband and son, and still gave all of herself to everyone in the program. We will miss her dearly but will keep Nikki’s memory alive in our hearts.”
McCray-Penson was a standout player at the University of Tennessee under coach Pat Summitt. She won two Olympic gold medals as a member of Team USA in 1996 and 2000.
She participated in the American Basketball League for two seasons, gaining MVP honors and the league title in 1997 with the Columbus Quest. She continued to play for nine seasons in the WNBA, winning three All-Star games along the way. McCray-Penson turned her on-court success into a 15-year coaching career. In 2017, while working as Dawn Staley’s assistant coach at the University of South Carolina, she helped the women’s basketball team win its first national championship. Later, she held the position of head coach at Mississippi State University and Old Dominion.
McCray-Penson left Mississippi State in October 2021 after just one season due to health issues. Last year, she started coaching again and joined Rutgers, where she was an assistant coach at the time of her passing. 2012 saw the induction of McCray-Penson into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame.
The WNBA expressed its condolences to McCray-Penson’s friends and family on Twitter Friday and remembered her as “a beloved member of our WNBA family.”
“Our hearts are heavy as we learn of the passing of Nikki McCray-Penson,” the league wrote.
The South Carolina Women’s Basketball also remembered McCray-Penson on Twitter as “an amazing woman – mother, wife, daughter, sister, friend, coach, mentor.”
“Nikki McCray-Penson was part of our foundation and made us the program we are, one personal relationship at a time,” wrote the team.
Nikki Kesangane McCray-Penson was an American basketball player and coach. She played professionally in women’s basketball from 1996 to 2006 before serving as the Mississippi State Bulldogs’ head coach from 2020 to 2021. She spent eight seasons as a player in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). After leaving the WNBA in 2008, McCray joined the University of South Carolina Gamecocks coaching team as an assistant coach. 2012 saw the induction of McCray-Penson into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame.
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