Adam Sparks

USA TODAY NETWORK – Tennessee

UPDATE on Tuesday:

Vanderbilt has confirmed the hiring of Stephanie White as its new women's basketball coach. The university issued a press release this morning.

“The opportunity to lead Vanderbilt’s women’s basketball program is an opportunity that I simply could not pass up,” White said.” The combination of Vanderbilt’s culture, where achievement – both on and off the court - is so highly valued, together with the institution’s fan support, and a legacy of winning basketball to build upon, is incredibly exciting to me. I appreciate the support and understanding that I have received from the Indiana Fever, from management to the players, regarding my passion to coach college basketball at an elite institution.”

"Above all else, academics, research, scholarship, and service define the Vanderbilt experience, yet we also compete at the highest levels in athletics,” Vanderbilt Chancellor Nicholas S. Zeppos said in announcing White. “Coach White's values align perfectly with those in our university community. I welcome Stephanie to Vanderbilt and look forward to working with her as she leads our women's basketball program to fulfill our goals and highest potential."

For new Vanderbilt coach Stephanie White, money matters

“Stephanie White has been a winner in every phase of her career,” Vanderbilt Director of Athletics David Williams said. “She was the nation’s high school player of the year, she was the NCAA’s Player of the Year on a national championship team and she led her WNBA team into the finals in her first year. She was an outstanding scholar. She wants to coach at Vanderbilt and we believe she is just the person to lead our program back into national prominence."

The university will introduce White on Wednesday at 3:30 p.m.

---

The Tennessean's original story, published on Monday:

WNBA head coach Stephanie White will be Vanderbilt’s new women’s basketball coach and ESPN’s Carolyn Peck will serve as associate head coach, sources confirmed Monday.

SB Nation first reported White’s hiring. Sources also confirmed to The Tennessean that Peck, a former Vanderbilt player and Hall of Famer, will join White's staff. Peck could perhaps help run the program while White coaches the remainder of the Fever's season into the fall.

Vanderbilt's official announcement is expected Tuesday.

White was a star player under Peck, the coach, at Purdue when the pair led the Boilermakers to the 1999 national championship.

White has been a player, assistant coach and head coach for the WNBA’s Indiana Fever. She was on the 2012 WNBA title team, and then posted a 20-14 record and a loss in the WNBA Finals last season in her head coaching debut with the Fever. The team has a 2-1 record this season.

White earned the Wade Trophy as college basketball’s national player of the year while guiding Purdue to the 1999 NCAA title. She was an assistant at Ball State, Kansas State and Toledo before returning to the WNBA as a coach.

Peck, a Jefferson City native and Tennessee Miss Basketball, has been an analyst for ESPN since 2007. Before that, she was head coach at Purdue (1997-99), the WNBA’s Orlando Miracle (1999-2001) and Florida (2002-07). Peck played at Vanderbilt from 1985-88.

Last week, White told The Indianapolis Star that Vanderbilt was among the few college jobs for which she would leave the WNBA.

“To go to a place (like Vanderbilt) that has such high standards, athletically and academically, is intriguing,” White told the Star last week. “There are a handful of schools that I sort of have on my radar that I think would be tremendous opportunities that if they ever called I at least needed to give myself an opportunity to inquire. Vanderbilt was one of them.”

White also told the Star that she could not come to Vanderbilt until the Fever’s season is over. Its last regular-season game is Sept. 18. The WNBA Playoffs run from Sept. 21 to as late as Oct. 20. Vanderbilt has not released its 2016-17 schedule, but its first exhibition game usually is played in early November. It is unclear when Peck will come to Vanderbilt.

White will replace Melanie Balcomb, who ended a 14-year tenure in April as Vanderbilt’s all-time winningest coach (310-149). Athletics director David Williams said Balcomb resigned following the Commodores’ steady four-year slide, two-year NCAA Tournament absence and slumping attendance.

Reach Adam Sparks at 615-259-8010 and on Twitter @AdamSparks.