Former Lady Lion Kelly Mazzante Joins Women’s Basketball Staff
The program’s all-time leading scorer is reunited with Tanisha Wright
Penn State's Kelly Mazzante (center) and teammates listen as Tanisha Wright sets strategy in the second half of Penn State's win 47-42. (Photo by Sandra Dukes/Getty Images) | Getty Images Tanisha Wright will not be the only All-Big Ten performer on the Lady Lions’ staff in 2026, as her teammate and the leading scorer in program history, Kelly Mazzante was named as one of her assistant coaches. (No, this is not a prank!
) Homecoming in Happy Valley. Welcome back, @KellyMazzante ! #WeAre pic.
twitter. com/Bz3Hh1s3yj — Penn State Women's Basketball (@PennStateWBB) April 1, 2026 Mazzante played for Rene Portland from 2000-2004, earning National Freshman of the Year honors in 2000-01, two AP-America honors, and three Academic All-American awards. She also guided the Lady Lions to two regular season conference titles, and four trips to the NCAA Tournament, capped off by an appearance in the Elite Eight and a No.
5 final ranking in 2003-04. She went on to the WNBA, playing three years apiece in Charlotte and Phoenix (where she won two championships), before finishing her career in Atlanta. As far as her coaching career, the Montoursville native has spent four years on the bench at Bucknell, and the past three at Georgetown, serving this past season as associate head coach.