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Nikki McCray
Basketball Player and Coach
BIRTHDAY
17 December 1971
BIRTH SIGN
Sagittarius
BIRTHPLACE
Collierville, Tennessee, U.S.
AGE
51 years old
Nikki McCray About
Nikki Kesangane McCray-Penson (December 17, 1971 – July 7, 2023) was an American basketball player and coach. She was the head coach of the Mississippi State Bulldogs women’s basketball team from 2020 to 2021 and a professional basketball player from 1996 to 2006.
| Real Name | Nikki McCray |
|---|---|
| Profession | Basketball Player and Coach |
| Birthplace | Collierville, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Birthdate | 17 December 1971 |
| Age | 51 Years Old |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Nationality | American |
| Family | Father- N/A Mother - N/A |
| Children | N/A |
| Net Worth | N/A |
| Height | 1.8 m |
| Husband | Thomas Penson |
Nikki McCray Biography
Nikki Kesangane McCray-Penson (December 17, 1971 – July 7, 2023) was an American basketball player and coach. She was the head coach of the Mississippi State Bulldogs women’s basketball team from 2020 to 2021 and a professional basketball player from 1996 to 2006. She played in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) for eight seasons. In 2008 after leaving the WNBA, McCray joined the coaching staff as an assistant coach for the South Carolina Gamecocks. McCray-Penson was inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012.
Nikki McCray Career
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 played two seasons in the American Basketball League, earning MVP honors and winning the League championship with the Columbus Quest in 1997. She went on to play nine seasons in the WNBA, where she was a three-time All-Star.
McCray-Penson parlayed her success on the court into a 15-year career as a coach. She won a national title in 2017 as an assistant coach under Dawn Staley at the University of South Carolina, the first title for the women’s basketball program. She later served as the head coach at Old Dominion and then Mississippi State University.
Nikki McCray Awards and Accomplishments
| 1992 | Earned ACC Player of the Year |
| 1992-95 | Named Best Defensive Player for Tennessee for four years |
| 1993 | Named Lady Vols Scholar-Athlete |
| 1994 | Named Southeastern Conference Player of the Year |
| 1994 | Named collegiate All-American |
| 1994 | Runner up for the Naismith Player of the Year |
| 1994 | Nominated for Honda-Broderick Award |
| 1994 | Received Coach’s Award |
| 1995 | Named Southeastern Conference Player of the Year |
| 1995 | Named collegiate All-American |
| 1995 | Runner up for the Naismith Player of the Year |
| 1995 | Named MVP of the NCAA Mideast Regionals |
| 1995 | Received Coach’s Award |
| 1995 | Member of USA Basketball Women’s National team named USA Basketball Team of the Year |
| 1996 | Voted to ABL All-Star team |
| 1996 | Named ABL Most Valuable Player |
| 1996 | Member of US Olympic team that won gold medal in Atlanta |
| 1997 | One of three finalists for the Women’s Pro Basketball ESPY awards |
| 1997 | Named Columbus Quest season MVP |
| 1998 | On gold medal-winning US National Team at FIBA Women’s World Championship in Germany |
| 1999 | Voted a starter for the WNBA East All-Star team |
| 2000 | Member of US Olympic team that won gold medal in Sydney |
| 2000 | Voted a starter for the WNBA East All-Star team |
| 2000 | Named to President’s Council on Fitness |
| 2001 | Named Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame Female Professional Athlete of the Year |
Nikki McCray Cause of Death
Nikki McCray-Penson, a former basketball star and two-time Olympic gold medal winner, has died at age 51, according to a Rutgers University spokesperson.
The cause of death was not announced. McCray-Penson was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2013.
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PEOPLE ALSO ASK ABOUT NIKKI MCCRAY
Who Is Nikki McCray?
Nikki McCray was an American basketball player and coach.
What is the height of Nikki McCray?
The height of Nikki McCray is 1.8m.
When did Nikki McCray play at Tennessee?
1992 and 1995
Is Nikki McCray married?
Yes, Nikki McCray is survived by a ten-year-old son, and husband, Thomas Penson.