Canada Basketball names Nell Fortner new women's head coach

Nell Fortner will be the next head coach of the Canadian senior women's basketball team through the 2026 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup, Canada Basketball announced Monday.

"We are thrilled to welcome Nell to Canada Basketball," Steve Baur, Canada Basketball general manager and vice president of women's high performance, said in a statement. "She's a proven leader with deep experience at the highest levels of the sport and someone whose values and vision strongly align with the standards our program has committed to for the future."

Fortner has more than 40 years of coaching experience, notably in the NCAA for Stephen F. Austin, Purdue, Auburn, and most recently Georgia Tech. She began her coaching career with Killeen High School in Texas in 1983.

She also served as head coach of the WNBA's Indiana Fever from 2001-03, as well as general manager from 1999-2003.

Fortner's biggest success came as USA Basketball women's head coach from 1997-2000, and she is the winningest coach in its history with a 101-14 record. She led the team to gold medals at the 1998 FIBA World Championship and the 2000 Olympics.

"I"m honored to join Canada Basketball and help lead this next chapter for the senior women’s national team," Fortner said in a statement. "I've followed the rise of this program for years and have great respect for the culture the organization and players are building. This is a special group with the talent, toughness, and togetherness, and they have the ability to achieve something great. I'm excited to get to work."

Fortner has plenty of accolades throughout her career. She has been named Basketball Times National Coach of the Year (1997), Big Ten Coach of the Year (1997), USA Basketball Coach of the Year (2000), and SEC Coach of the Year (2009).