Seattle Storm fires head coach Noelle Quinn following disappointing playoff loss

The Seattle Storm is looking for a new head coach after the team announced it will move on next season without Coach Noelle Quinn.

Quinn has led the team for four-and-a-half years, and departs after a disappointing 74-73 loss to the Las Vegas Aces on Thursday.

The loss on the road in Game Three of the series eliminated the Storm from the first round of the WNBA playoffs for the second year in a row.

The 40-year-old Quinn made history as the team’s first female black head coach, following the abrupt resignation of former coach Dan Hughes.

Storm General Manager Talisa Rhea released the following statement:

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. She put us in a position to win at the highest levels of the game and for that, we are grateful.”

The team finished seventh in the standings this year, with a 23-21 record.

Prior to her coaching career, Quinn played for the Storm twice as a point guard, during the 2013-14 season, and from 2016 to 2018.

She was also a member of the Storm’s 2018 WNBA championship team.

After retiring as a player, Quinn immediately began serving as an assistant coach with the team.

In 2020 the team promoted her to associate head coach.

The Storm won their fourth WNBA Championship that year.

She was hired as head coach in 2021.

Quinn has the second-most wins of any coach in the team’s history.

During her four-and-a-half years as head coach, she led the team to four playoff runs, and had a 97-89 overall win-loss record.

Under her leadership, the Storm had a 4-8 postseason record and never advanced beyond the second round of the layoffs.