Rene Portland, the longest-tenured and most successful coach in Penn State women’s basketball history passed away today at the age of 65 after a three-year bout with cancer. She was initially hired by then-Athletic Director Joe Paterno in 1980 and would go on over the course of a 27-year career at PSU to win 606 games, win 11 regular season conference championships (between the Atlantic-10 and Big Ten), make 21 NCAA Tournament appearances (including 11 Sweet Sixteens, four Elite Eights, and one Final Four in 2000), all while coaching star players such as Suzie McConnell-Serio, Helen Darling, and Kelly Mazzante, just to name a few.
Former Penn State Women’s Basketball Coach Rene Portland Dies
