Noelle Quinn will not return as head coach of the Seattle Storm in 2026, the team announced Sunday, September 21. "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," the team's 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.”
Quinn spent 12 years playing in the WNBA (from 2007 to 2019), including portions of various seasons for the Storm. She joined the team's coaching staff after the 2019 season and was tapped as head coach in 2021.
Noelle Quinn's firing could spark a trend
Its unclear if the 2025 postseason will be littered with mass coach firings like the 2024 season was, but Quinn's dismissal could prove to be a spark that spreads to other teams in the WNBA.
Exit interviews with the Storm made it clear that some players — especially Nneka Ogwumike and Skylar Diggins — had a strong relationship with Quinn, but it was equally clear that others struggled under her leadership.
Though the Storm gave no direct reason for the firing, the Storm was dogged by rumors of an uncontrolled locker room, as well as accusations of harassment and bullying against members of the coaching staff. Six-time WNBA All-Star Jewell Loyd departed the team after filing a complaint against the team's coaches. She has since moved on to the potentially Championship-bound Las Vegas Aces.
Fans have also complained that Quinn did little to maximize the veteran roster the Storm boasted in 2025. The Storm made it into the playoffs this year but were knocked out by the Aces, and the team finished the regular season with a 23-21 record. Though the entire brunt of the blame for the team's season cannot be placed on Quinn, the franchise has a strong history of winning and many were left wondering if she would be capable of elevating the team to the next level.
The Storm also performed inconsistently throughout Quinn's tenure — the team's record was 16-10 in 2021, 22-14 in 2022, 11-29 in 2023, and 25-15 in 2024.
Six coaches were booted ahead of 2025
Last year's postseason saw the dismissal of seven coaches from WNBA teams, changes that also introduced new coaches and systems. Chris Koclanes replaced Latricia Trammell in Dallas, Sydney Johnson placed Eric Thibault for the Mystics, Lynne Roberts took over for Curt Miller in Los Angeles, Karl Smesko replaced Tanisha Wright in Atlanta, Tyler Marsh stepped in for Teresa Weatherspoon in Chicago, and Stephanie White replaced Christie Sides in Indiana.