New head coach means new expectations.

At Penn State women’s basketball’s local media day, assistant coach Marlow Davis described what players can expect from head coach Tanisha Wright.

“She has an amazing way of balancing love and compete,” Davis said. “I think the players all feel her energy, feel her care, and her love, but understand that there’s a level of compete that they need to walk with every time we step on that floor.”

Wright is preparing for her first season in Happy Valley leading the Lady Lions with an 11-player roster and just one returning player.

As the group learns her system, players and assistant coaches said she is building relationships while making her expectations very clear.

Davis said Wright’s players know they are expected to compete every time they step on the court. That accountability extends to the classroom and how they conduct themselves around campus.

Davis has also seen how getting comfortable with Wright can help a player improve.

Enjulina Gonzalez has continued to get better as practices have picked up, crediting the trust she’s building with Wright for helping her flourish offensively.

Wright wants her players to have opportunities to use the skills that brought them to Penn State.

“We want all players on the court to be playmakers,” Wright said.

Wright said all her players have shown they can handle the ball. Because of that, and a short bench, the first-year Penn State head coach is open to different lineup combinations as opportunities arise.

Learning a brand-new system will come with mistakes. Assistant coach Olivier Cadet said the staff lets players work through them, then uses film and corrections to help them improve.

Cadet, who worked with Wright on the Atlanta Dream’s staff from 2022 to 2024, said Wright’s composure helps her handle the ups and downs of coaching.

“She is genuinely the calm amidst the chaos,” Cadet said.

Wright also expects her assistants to show the commitment and accountability she demands of players. Treating people well and following the program’s standards have to be daily habits.

That accountability also gives players a role in shaping the team’s culture. They’ve organized dinners, attended volleyball matches, and spent time together outside of basketball.

With so many new faces, Wright sees that connection as an early start.

“I think their biggest strength has been playing together,” Wright said. “I think they’re doing a really good job of focusing on the fact that we need everybody.”

The Lady Lions won’t have to wait long to put that work to the test. Penn State opens its season against Cleveland State at 5 p.m. on November 2 at the Bryce Jordan Center.

About the Author