Particle.news
Download on the App Store
12 ARTICLES
·
1h ago

Kara Lawson Named U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Through 2028

Sue Bird made the hire in her new managing‑director role, signaling a move to centralized selection.

Mar 30, 2025; Birmingham, AL, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Kara Lawson coaches her team during the second half of an Elite 8 NCAA Tournament basketball game against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Legacy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images/File photo
Image
Image
Image

Overview

  • Lawson, 44, will lead the 2026–2028 cycle that includes the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup in Germany and the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.
  • Sue Bird’s choice was approved by USA Basketball leadership, marking her first major decision since taking over the women’s program.
  • Lawson’s USA Basketball résumé spans player gold in 2008, head coach of the Olympic 3x3 gold in Tokyo, assistant roles on the 2022 World Cup and 2024 Paris golds, and head coach of the 2025 AmeriCup title.
  • She succeeds Cheryl Reeve, who coached the U.S. to its eighth straight Olympic gold in Paris as the program extends a decades-long run of dominance.
  • Immediate tasks include assembling a staff and navigating calendar conflicts with her Duke job, with a March qualifier potentially overlapping the NCAA Tournament.