Pitt hires Florida State assistant coach to replace McConnell-Serio as women's coach
Florida State assistant coach Lance White was named the new women's basketball coach at Pitt on Wednesday.
He replaces Suzie McConnell-Serio, who was fired April 5 by athletic director Heather Lyke.
White is the second basketball coach to be hired by Lyke in less than a month. She hired Jeff Capel as the men's coach March 27.
“When I first met Coach White, his genuine personality, energy and excitement about being at Pitt was evident and contagious,” Lyke said in a news release. “He has a tremendous pedigree in coaching and has been an instrumental part of several successful women's basketball programs that have sustained success at the highest levels. I am confident he is more than prepared to build a program that brings great pride to our university.”
White spent the past 15 years at Florida State, where he helped the Seminoles to a 350-145 (.707) record, including 12 seasons with 20 wins or more.
Since White's arrival at FSU, 10 players were selected in the WNBA Draft, eight Seminoles earned ACC All-Defensive team honors and 37 earned all-conference awards.
Florida State reached the NCAA Tournament in 13 of the past 14 years, and the team won at least one NCAA Tournament game in its past 15 appearances.
“The University of Pittsburgh has a storied history of athletic prowess, and I am excited to build on that tradition,” White said in a news release. “I am honored to be the head coach of the Pitt women's basketball program.
“I am grateful to Heather (Lyke), Chancellor Patrick Gallagher and Bethany Wagner for the opportunity to lead a Power Five program. I look forward to working with the team, building relationships within the community and crafting a culture of success.”
Florida State coach Sue Semrau said she considered White to be one of the rising stars of the coaching profession when she hired him in 2003.
White previously coached at Texas Tech, where he spent 11 seasons.
White is the ninth head coach in Pitt women's basketball history and takes over a team that went 10-20 overall and 2-14 in ACC play in 2017-18.
He was a 1996 graduate of Texas Tech.
“Lance has played an integral part in building our program to this point,” Semrau said in a release. “He is not only a great teacher, but also a strong connector.
“Pittsburgh is getting a tremendous person who cares deeply about his own family in addition to his basketball family. It has been 15 amazing years coaching with Lance, and we wish him nothing but the best.”
Paul Schofield is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at pschofield@tribweb.com or via Twitter @Schofield_Trib.
