Olympic gold-medalist, former South Carolina assistant Nikki McCray-Penson dies at 51
By DOUG FEINBERG
AP Basketball Writer
Two-time Olympic gold-medalist and former Tennessee star Nikki McCray-Penson has died. She was 51. McCray-Penson was an assistant women’s basketball coach at Rutgers last season and the school confirmed her death. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2013. McCray-Penson joined Dawn Staley as an assistant coach at South Carolina from 2008-17. She was part of the Gamecocks’ first national championship in 2017. She won gold medals with the U.S. women’s basketball team at the 1996 and 2000 Olympics. She played in the ABL and won MVP honors in 1997 before heading over to the WNBA. McCray-Penson was a three-time All-Star in that league while playing for the Washington Mystics. She then had a 16-year coaching career.
