Indiana Fever hire Pokey Chatman as new head coach

Updated Mar. 5, 2020 1:55 a.m. ET

foxsports

The Indiana Fever hired Pokey Chatman as their new coach Friday, bringing in an WNBA veteran in hopes of continuing their annual visits to the postseason.

Chatman will take over a team that has a rich history in the WNBA, winning a title in 2012 and reaching the playoffs for the past 12 years. Indiana was 17-17 this past year, losing in the first round. Coach Stephanie White left the Fever after the season to take over at Vanderbilt.

The 47-year-old Chatman was not retained by the Chicago Sky after this past season when she guided the team to an 18-16 record and an appearance in the WNBA playoff semifinals. She won 106 games in Chicago and led the team to its first-ever playoff appearance in 2013 and a trip to the WNBA Finals in 2014.

The Fever will have a different look not only on the sidelines, but also on the court as longtime star Tamika Catchings retired. Indiana still has a strong nucleus with Briann Janaury, Erlana Larkins, Tiffany Mitchell and Marissa Coleman.

Before taking over Chicago in 2011, Chatman spent 16 years at LSU, her alma mater. The Louisiana native was an assistant from 1992-2004 before becoming the head coach. She was 106-19 as the head of that program, including a 15-5 mark when she was the interim leader in 2004 when longtime coach Sue Gunter left the team because of a lung disease.