Penn State women’s basketball head coach Carolyn Kieger announced Thursday the elevation of Lady Lions’ all-time great Maggie Lucas to assistant coach. Lucas returned to her alma mater in May as Director of Player Development.
Kieger on Lucas: “We are thrilled to elevate Maggie Lucas to an assistant coach. She has an incredible passion for Lady Lion basketball and knows what it takes to win championships here. She is no doubt the perfect fit to help our program get back to the top.”
Lucas on her new role: “I am beyond excited about my promotion to assistant coach! It is an amazing opportunity and full circle moment in my journey with Penn State women’s basketball. Since returning to Happy Valley, I have truly been inspired by the energy and passion of Coach Keiger, our players and the entire staff. I have so much faith in this program and the new heights we will reach. It’s good to be home!”
About Lucas: Lucas joined the Penn State this offseason after concluding an eight-year professional career, including four seasons in the WNBA. She played three seasons with the Indiana Fever (2014-16) and split the 2018 season with the Atlanta Dream and Dallas Wings.
While playing for Lulea in Sweden in 2021, she led the team to an SBLDAM Championship and was the league’s finals MVP. Lucas was named All-Euro Cup first team in 2022 while playing for Dinamo Sassari.
Lucas’ name is all over the Penn State record books. She won three major Big Ten awards: player of the year in 2013 (coaches & media) and 2014 (media) and the consensus freshman of the year in 2011. She was a three-time first-team All-Big Ten selection and a four-time All-Big Ten honoree.
Lucas led Penn State to three-straight Big Ten regular season titles in 2011-12, 2012-13 and 2013-14. The Lady Lions played in the NCAA Tournament all four years with Lucas on campus and made Sweet 16 appearances in 2012 and 2014.
A Wade Trophy and Wooden Award Finalist in 2013 and 2014, Lucas was a second-team AP All-American in 2013 and third-team AP All-American in 2014. She was a two-time USBWA All-American, two-time Full-Court All-American and Full-Court Freshman All-American.
Lucas is the only player in program history with over 2,000 points (2,510), 500 rebounds (541), 250 assists (286) and 200 steals (237).
She ranks second all-time at Penn State with 2,510 career points and holds the second-best career scoring average (19.0 ppg). Her 2,510 points rank eighth All-Time in the Big Ten.
She holds three of the Top 10 scoring seasons in program history with 672 points in 2013-14, 644 points in 2012-13 and 642 points in 2011-12, while holding the freshman scoring record with 552 points in 2010-11.
Known for her incredible shooting abilities, Lucas holds the Penn State record for career three-point fields goals with 365. Her 365 career threes rank third all-time in the Big Ten.
She also ranks third all-time at PSU with a 41.5 three-point field goal percentage. She owns Penn State’s season three-point field goals record (112 in 2010-11).
Lucas has the Penn State records for career free throws (547), career free throw percentage (90.7) and season free throws (185, 2013-14).
She shot a Big Ten-record 94.9 percent from the free-throw line in 2013-14, good for the eighth-best season percentage in NCAA Division I history. Her 90.7 career free throw percentage, also a Big Ten record, also ranks eighth all-time in NCAA Division I.
Lucas graduated from Penn State with a degree in recreation, parks & tourism management.
