Basketball <\/p>\n
Nell Fortner isn\u2019t done coaching just yet.<\/p>\n
On Monday, Canada Basketball named the 66-year-old the head coach of its senior women\u2019s national team, putting the recently retired Georgia Tech<\/a> coach back on the sidelines for the near future.<\/p>\n This isn\u2019t Fortner\u2019s first foray into international basketball, of course. She was the head coach of Team USA in the 2000 Olympics and guided the Americans to a gold medal. In Four years coaching the U.S. \u2014 from 1997 through 2000 \u2014 she piled up a wildly impressive record of 101-14.<\/p>\n Fortner\u2019s appointment means she could be coaching against the U.S. at the 2026 FIBA World Cup<\/a> in Germany, or at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.<\/p>\n Regardless of what opponents are ahead for the Canadians, Fortner is thrilled by the challenge.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve followed the rise of this program for years and have great respect for the culture the organization and players are building,\u201d Fortner said in a statement. \u201cThis is a special group with the talent, toughness and togetherness and they have the ability to achieve something great \u2014 I\u2019m excited to get to work.\u201d<\/p>\n Fortner\u2019s retirement from Georgia Tech in early April<\/a> was a surprise to many, considering she had just signed an extension through 2030 in February. At her retirement press conference, she lamented some of the changes that had happened in college sports in the six years she had been in Atlanta, called her retirement \u201cbittersweet\u201d but also said that she had \u201ca lot of energy left.\u201d Fortner guided the Yellow Jackets to three NCAA Tournament appearances \u2014 including one this past season \u2014 and an overall win-loss record of 110-75.<\/p>\n Before Fortner announced her retirement, five Yellow Jackets had entered the transfer portal, including ACC Sixth Player of the Year Dani Carnegie. After she announced her retirement, two more followed in three-year starters Kara Dunn and Tonie Morgan.<\/p>\n To succeed Fortner, Georgia Tech hired former Maryland assistant Karen Blair.<\/p>\n Fortner led Georgia Tech to just its second-ever Sweet 16 and began this past season with 15 consecutive wins, marking the best start in program history. Across her career, which included stops at Auburn and Purdue, she\u2019s been named Coach of the Year in the ACC, SEC and Big Ten.<\/p>\n On the international level, Fortner won\u2019t have to deal with NIL or the transfer portal. She can just coach basketball.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat stood out with Nell was how naturally she aligned with the identity our athletes helped define \u2014 not just in terms of basketball experience, but in leadership, accountability and culture,\u201d said Steve Baur, the general manager and vice president of Canada women\u2019s basketball. \u201cHer approach reflected the expectations set by the group and the direction we believe this team needs to go.\u201d<\/p>\n Canada has never medaled at the Olympics and hasn\u2019t medaled at a World Cup since 1986, though they came close in 2022, placing fourth.<\/p>\n The roster features lots of talent, from WNBA<\/a> players like Bridget Carleton, Kia Nurse and Aaliyah Edwards, to rising college stars like Duke\u2019s Toby Fournier, Villanova<\/a>\u2019s Jasmine Bascoe and BYU<\/a>\u2019s Delaney Gibb.<\/p>\n Fournier and Gibb starred on Canada\u2019s U17 team at the 2022 World Cup that placed fourth. Gibb was named Big 12 Freshman of the Year this past season, while Fournier took home the same honors in the ACC.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n