The Seattle Storm announced that head coach Noelle Quinn will not return after five seasons. Her contract will not be renewed, the team said in a statement.
Quinn, 40, compiled a 97-89 record in her five seasons. The Storm never advanced past the second round of the WNBA playoffs during her tenure, despite having All-Star talent including Sue Bird, Breanna Stewart, Jewell Loyd, Skylar Diggins, Gabby Williams and Nneka Ogwumike.
The entire Storm coaching staff was dismissed along with Quinn, as the team pursues an entirely new direction, according to reporter Roberta F. Rodrigues.
After an offseason overhaul that included trading Loyd to the Las Vegas Aces in a three-team deal involving Kelsey Plum, Seattle finished 23-21 and went into the playoffs as the No. 7 seed. Seattle was eliminated in the first round by the Aces, but took them to a decisive Game 3.
Loyd asked to be traded following the 2024 campaign when the Storm coaching staff was investigated for alleged harassment and bullying of players. However, no violations were found in an investigation by a law firm hired by the team. Before that season, Quinn was signed to a multiyear contract extension.
Quinn became the Storm’s head coach six games into the 2021 season when Dan Hughes retired following a four-year stint during which Seattle won two WNBA championships. She was the first Black head coach in team history.
After retiring from her 12-year playing career (the last four seasons with the Storm), she became an assistant under Hughes. Quinn was promoted to associate head coach during the 2020 season while Gary Kloppenburg took over as interim coach as Hughes recovered from cancer treatments.
“On behalf of our organization, I would like to thank Noelle for her time with the Storm. Her commitment to the ongoing success of our organization and to furthering the development of our players was second to none,” Storm general manager Talisa Rhea said in a statement. “She put us in a position to win at the highest levels of the game and for that, we are grateful.”
As a player, Quinn was the 2007 first-round pick (No. 4 overall) of the Minnesota Lynx out of UCLA. She played two seasons in Minnesota before being traded to the Los Angeles Sparks. Her first of two stints with the Storm was from 2013-14. Following a season and a half with the Phoenix Mercury, Quinn was traded back to the Storm, winning a championship in 2018.
In its announcement, the team said it will begin a search for a new head coach immediately. The Storm now join the expansion Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire looking to fill openings at that position.
