University of Tennessee Athletics
LVFL Nikki McCray-Penson Passes Away
July 07, 2023 | Women's Basketball
LVFL Nikki McCray-Penson, a two-time U.S. Olympic gold medalist, two-time SEC Player of the Year and member of the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame has passed away.
McCray-Penson, the spouse of Thomas Penson and mother of Thomas Nikson Penson, had been serving as an assistant coach at Rutgers University. The Collierville, Tennessee, native held previous roles as a head coach at Old Dominion and Mississippi State, and also had served as an assistant at Georgia Tech, South Carolina and Western Kentucky.
A 1995 graduate of the University of Tennessee, McCray-Penson starred for the Lady Vols and the late, legendary head coach Pat Summitt from 1991 to 1995. She played in 127 games and averaged 12.4 points and 5.3 points for her career. She scored 1,572 career points, averaging 6.9 as a freshman, 10.9 as a sophomore, 16.3 as a junior and 15.2 as a senior. She ranks No. 19 on the school's all-time scoring list through the 2022-23 campaign.
McCray-Penson was a two-time WBCA & Naismith All-American (1994, 1995) and three-time All-SEC honoree (1993-2nd, 1994-1st, 1995-1st). She also garnered recognition as a two-time SEC All-Tournament selection (1994, 1995) and member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll (1995). Other honors included being named to the 1995 NCAA All-Final Four Team (1995) and as the 1995 NCAA Mideast Regional Most Outstanding Player as well as being part of the ESPY Awards Co-Team of the Decade (1990s).
During her time on Rocky Top, where she met her husband Thomas (also a 1995 UT graduate), McCray-Penson led the Lady Vols to three straight SEC regular season crowns (1993, 1994, 1995) and two SEC tournament titles (1992, 1994). She was part of Tennessee's NCAA runner-up team in 1995 and helped her squad to the NCAA Elite Eight in 1993 and the Sweet 16 in 1992 and 1994. UT was 122-11 during her time as a Lady Vol, including 43-1 in SEC play.
After graduating from UT, she began her pro career in the American Basketball League (ABL) with the Columbus Quest. She won 1997 league MVP honors and led her team to the 1997 ABL Championship. She then played in the WNBA for eight seasons and was named to WNBA All-Star teams in 1999, 2000 and 2001. During her time in the league, she played for the Washington Mystics, Indiana Fever, Phoenix Mercury, San Antonio Silver Stars and Chicago Sky.
Internationally, McCray-Penson was a member of the 1996 and 2000 gold medal-winning U.S. Olympic teams and competed on America's 1998 FIBA World Championship team. She was part of the 1996 U.S. Olympic squad, along with fellow LVFL Carla McGhee, that won gold on U.S. soil at the Atlanta Games.
Among her hall of fame inductions, she was named to the National High School Hall of Fame (2015), Greater Knoxville Sports Hall of Fame (2014), Women's Basketball Hall of Fame (2012) and University of Tennessee Athletics Hall of Fame (2004). She was honored by the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in 2001 as its Female Professional Athlete of the Year.
Her additional honors include Shelby County School Education Foundation Inductee (2007), Basketball Beyond Borders representative (2005-present), WNBA Community Assist Award winner (2005), First Lady Laura Bush Book Club member (2001), member of the President's Council of Physical Fitness & Sports (1998-2000), previous Prevent Child Abuse America board member and keynote speaker for the Library of Congress Women's History Month.
STATEMENTS ABOUT THE PASSING OF NIKKI McCRAY-PENSON...
"Our hearts are broken as we mourn the loss of a beloved Lady Vol. We also offer our love and sincere condolences to her family, friends and colleagues across the country. Nikki had a bright and loving personality and touched the lives of everyone she met. Her kind and genuine spirit will be missed."
--Statement from Tennessee Women's Basketball Head Coach Kellie Harper
"I have such great memories of Nikki, but it is as my teammate first and foremost...I got to experience the real Nikki McCray. She was fiercely competitive, but she always had a smile on her face. I'm always going to consider her a bright light in my life. We had these 4:30 a.m. track workouts where we had to qualify for the mile. I always tried to stay with Nikki as much as I could. I finally got in the kind of shape where I said 'I'm going to stay with her today.' I was doing well and hanging with her through 2 ½ laps of the four we had to run. She turns and says, 'you good, Shelley Shell?' I said, 'yeah, I'm great, Nik' and she says "OK, see you at the finish.' She then went into another mode, and I was huffing and puffing and I still finished about two minutes behind her. She loved to run. So did I, but I couldn't run like Nikki. There was a reason she was a two-time Olympian, a three-time WNBA All-Star and two-time SEC Player of the Year. She knew how to compete and push her teammates to be their best. Today is a sad day. I'm really going to miss her."
--Statement from McCray-Penson's Lady Vol teammate Michelle Marciniak
"This is such sad news. It just breaks my heart to hear this. Nikki was such a wonderful person. She took me under her wing the summer going into my junior year, and she had such a huge impact on my playing career. She took me to the gym with her to do her 'non-stop, run everywhere' shooting workouts. I remember the first few times we went…she ran my (behind) around that court. I felt like I was running in place and couldn't lift my feet off the ground. She would laugh at me, but I started getting it and she made me so much better. In true McCray fashion, she had already run three miles, lifted weights and done whatever else before we came into the gym to workout, and she still ran me into the ground...but she was special like that. She was one of the best to play the game! I loved being her teammate and looking up to her as a younger player."
--Statement from McCray-Penson's Lady Vol teammate Abby Conklin
"It's really a sad day, and I'm still trying to get past the shock of it. Nikki was one of the best high school players in Tennessee history, and she had to overcome adversity just to play college basketball. She had to sit a year due to Proposition 48 and also overcame a knee injury during her career. She had a lot of God-given talent, but she was an incredible worker and played the game hard in both practice and in games. You don't always see that. She was resilient and was a great leader, especially by the example she set on a daily basis. That included her infectious smile, which was always present and made you think she never had a bad day even when things might have been tough. I'll remember Nikki for every one of those reasons."
--Statement from former Tennessee Women's Basketball Head Coach Holly Warlick (Recruited and coached McCray-Penson)
"My heart is so heavy. One of the most beautiful souls I've ever met. The one who genuinely went out their way to understand me when I was so misunderstood. The one who was always there. You fought so long and hard, and I am so grateful to have known you. I love you. Rest easy.
--Social post from Tennessee Forward Rickea Jackson (previously played for Nikki McCray-Penson at Mississippi State)
"The University of Tennessee and the world have lost a special lady. Our prayers are with her husband, Thomas, son, Thomas, and her extended family. Nikki was not only an outstanding player, but she was a great leader, coach, teacher and mother. I can't say enough wonderful things about what she gave to the world and how we all benefitted from her presence. All of us in the UT community are deeply saddened by Nikki's passing, and she'll always have a special place in our hearts."
--Statement from Tennessee Women's Athletics Director Emeritus Joan Cronan
"I am devastated by the passing of Nikki McCray. She was an outstanding competitor and teammate. She won a gold medal in the Olympics, but more importantly she was a gold medal person. My thoughts and prayers are with Thomas and her family."
--Statement from Stanford Women's Basketball Head Coach Tara VanDerveer (McCray-Penson's 1996 U.S. Olympic Head Coach)
"The sadness of today, after learning of Nikki's passing, has been incredibly hard to reconcile. Nikki McCray was one of the most dynamic athletes I have ever coached. She had quickness whether she was running up and down a basketball court or laterally defending and shutting down some of the world's best female basketball players! Her quick smile, beautiful singing voice and competitiveness are attributes I will remember forever. Rest in sweet peace, Nikki."
--Statement from Georgia Tech Women's Basketball Head Coach Nell Fortner (McCray-Penson's 2000 U.S. Olympic Head Coach)
"It's hard to think about Nikki's passing because all I can see is how fully she lived. From her days as a brash rookie in USA Basketball to becoming my friend and colleague to the way she mentored young players, Nikki did everything with her whole heart. Every teammate, every coach, every player who spent time with her knew first that she cared about them as a person, and everything else came from that place. Her presence was something you could feel before you saw her because she had such light, such positive energy inside her no matter what was going on. I am heartbroken that cancer has taken that light from us, but I know that she would want us to be the ones to carry it on in her absence. I pray we all have the strength to do that for her and her son Lil Thomas."
--Statement from South Carolina Women's Basketball Head Coach Dawn Staley (McCray-Penson's 1996 & 2000 U.S. Olympic teammate and coaching colleague)
"We are deeply saddened by the passing of Class of 2012 Hall of Famer Nikki McCray. She was an inspiration to many through her battle with breast cancer. We will remember Nikki's positive spirit, love for the game and dedication to her friends and family. We hold Nikki's family in our thoughts and prayers at this difficult time."
--Statement from the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame
"We are deeply saddened by the passing of two-time Olympic gold medalist Nikki McCray-Penson. Our sister & our friend, Nikki, was more than a champion. USA Basketball extends its condolences to the McCray & Penson families in this difficult time."
--Statement from USA Basketball
"Our hearts are heavy as we learn of the passing of Nikki McCray-Penson. A beloved member of our WNBA family, Nikki was a three-time WNBA All-Star during her eight seasons in the league. Our thoughts and prayers are with Nikki's family and loved ones at this time."
--Social post from the WNBA
McCray-Penson, the spouse of Thomas Penson and mother of Thomas Nikson Penson, had been serving as an assistant coach at Rutgers University. The Collierville, Tennessee, native held previous roles as a head coach at Old Dominion and Mississippi State, and also had served as an assistant at Georgia Tech, South Carolina and Western Kentucky.
A 1995 graduate of the University of Tennessee, McCray-Penson starred for the Lady Vols and the late, legendary head coach Pat Summitt from 1991 to 1995. She played in 127 games and averaged 12.4 points and 5.3 points for her career. She scored 1,572 career points, averaging 6.9 as a freshman, 10.9 as a sophomore, 16.3 as a junior and 15.2 as a senior. She ranks No. 19 on the school's all-time scoring list through the 2022-23 campaign.
McCray-Penson was a two-time WBCA & Naismith All-American (1994, 1995) and three-time All-SEC honoree (1993-2nd, 1994-1st, 1995-1st). She also garnered recognition as a two-time SEC All-Tournament selection (1994, 1995) and member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll (1995). Other honors included being named to the 1995 NCAA All-Final Four Team (1995) and as the 1995 NCAA Mideast Regional Most Outstanding Player as well as being part of the ESPY Awards Co-Team of the Decade (1990s).
During her time on Rocky Top, where she met her husband Thomas (also a 1995 UT graduate), McCray-Penson led the Lady Vols to three straight SEC regular season crowns (1993, 1994, 1995) and two SEC tournament titles (1992, 1994). She was part of Tennessee's NCAA runner-up team in 1995 and helped her squad to the NCAA Elite Eight in 1993 and the Sweet 16 in 1992 and 1994. UT was 122-11 during her time as a Lady Vol, including 43-1 in SEC play.
After graduating from UT, she began her pro career in the American Basketball League (ABL) with the Columbus Quest. She won 1997 league MVP honors and led her team to the 1997 ABL Championship. She then played in the WNBA for eight seasons and was named to WNBA All-Star teams in 1999, 2000 and 2001. During her time in the league, she played for the Washington Mystics, Indiana Fever, Phoenix Mercury, San Antonio Silver Stars and Chicago Sky.
Internationally, McCray-Penson was a member of the 1996 and 2000 gold medal-winning U.S. Olympic teams and competed on America's 1998 FIBA World Championship team. She was part of the 1996 U.S. Olympic squad, along with fellow LVFL Carla McGhee, that won gold on U.S. soil at the Atlanta Games.
Among her hall of fame inductions, she was named to the National High School Hall of Fame (2015), Greater Knoxville Sports Hall of Fame (2014), Women's Basketball Hall of Fame (2012) and University of Tennessee Athletics Hall of Fame (2004). She was honored by the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in 2001 as its Female Professional Athlete of the Year.
Her additional honors include Shelby County School Education Foundation Inductee (2007), Basketball Beyond Borders representative (2005-present), WNBA Community Assist Award winner (2005), First Lady Laura Bush Book Club member (2001), member of the President's Council of Physical Fitness & Sports (1998-2000), previous Prevent Child Abuse America board member and keynote speaker for the Library of Congress Women's History Month.
STATEMENTS ABOUT THE PASSING OF NIKKI McCRAY-PENSON...
"Our hearts are broken as we mourn the loss of a beloved Lady Vol. We also offer our love and sincere condolences to her family, friends and colleagues across the country. Nikki had a bright and loving personality and touched the lives of everyone she met. Her kind and genuine spirit will be missed."
--Statement from Tennessee Women's Basketball Head Coach Kellie Harper
"I have such great memories of Nikki, but it is as my teammate first and foremost...I got to experience the real Nikki McCray. She was fiercely competitive, but she always had a smile on her face. I'm always going to consider her a bright light in my life. We had these 4:30 a.m. track workouts where we had to qualify for the mile. I always tried to stay with Nikki as much as I could. I finally got in the kind of shape where I said 'I'm going to stay with her today.' I was doing well and hanging with her through 2 ½ laps of the four we had to run. She turns and says, 'you good, Shelley Shell?' I said, 'yeah, I'm great, Nik' and she says "OK, see you at the finish.' She then went into another mode, and I was huffing and puffing and I still finished about two minutes behind her. She loved to run. So did I, but I couldn't run like Nikki. There was a reason she was a two-time Olympian, a three-time WNBA All-Star and two-time SEC Player of the Year. She knew how to compete and push her teammates to be their best. Today is a sad day. I'm really going to miss her."
--Statement from McCray-Penson's Lady Vol teammate Michelle Marciniak
"This is such sad news. It just breaks my heart to hear this. Nikki was such a wonderful person. She took me under her wing the summer going into my junior year, and she had such a huge impact on my playing career. She took me to the gym with her to do her 'non-stop, run everywhere' shooting workouts. I remember the first few times we went…she ran my (behind) around that court. I felt like I was running in place and couldn't lift my feet off the ground. She would laugh at me, but I started getting it and she made me so much better. In true McCray fashion, she had already run three miles, lifted weights and done whatever else before we came into the gym to workout, and she still ran me into the ground...but she was special like that. She was one of the best to play the game! I loved being her teammate and looking up to her as a younger player."
--Statement from McCray-Penson's Lady Vol teammate Abby Conklin
"It's really a sad day, and I'm still trying to get past the shock of it. Nikki was one of the best high school players in Tennessee history, and she had to overcome adversity just to play college basketball. She had to sit a year due to Proposition 48 and also overcame a knee injury during her career. She had a lot of God-given talent, but she was an incredible worker and played the game hard in both practice and in games. You don't always see that. She was resilient and was a great leader, especially by the example she set on a daily basis. That included her infectious smile, which was always present and made you think she never had a bad day even when things might have been tough. I'll remember Nikki for every one of those reasons."
--Statement from former Tennessee Women's Basketball Head Coach Holly Warlick (Recruited and coached McCray-Penson)
"My heart is so heavy. One of the most beautiful souls I've ever met. The one who genuinely went out their way to understand me when I was so misunderstood. The one who was always there. You fought so long and hard, and I am so grateful to have known you. I love you. Rest easy.
--Social post from Tennessee Forward Rickea Jackson (previously played for Nikki McCray-Penson at Mississippi State)
"The University of Tennessee and the world have lost a special lady. Our prayers are with her husband, Thomas, son, Thomas, and her extended family. Nikki was not only an outstanding player, but she was a great leader, coach, teacher and mother. I can't say enough wonderful things about what she gave to the world and how we all benefitted from her presence. All of us in the UT community are deeply saddened by Nikki's passing, and she'll always have a special place in our hearts."
--Statement from Tennessee Women's Athletics Director Emeritus Joan Cronan
"I am devastated by the passing of Nikki McCray. She was an outstanding competitor and teammate. She won a gold medal in the Olympics, but more importantly she was a gold medal person. My thoughts and prayers are with Thomas and her family."
--Statement from Stanford Women's Basketball Head Coach Tara VanDerveer (McCray-Penson's 1996 U.S. Olympic Head Coach)
"The sadness of today, after learning of Nikki's passing, has been incredibly hard to reconcile. Nikki McCray was one of the most dynamic athletes I have ever coached. She had quickness whether she was running up and down a basketball court or laterally defending and shutting down some of the world's best female basketball players! Her quick smile, beautiful singing voice and competitiveness are attributes I will remember forever. Rest in sweet peace, Nikki."
--Statement from Georgia Tech Women's Basketball Head Coach Nell Fortner (McCray-Penson's 2000 U.S. Olympic Head Coach)
"It's hard to think about Nikki's passing because all I can see is how fully she lived. From her days as a brash rookie in USA Basketball to becoming my friend and colleague to the way she mentored young players, Nikki did everything with her whole heart. Every teammate, every coach, every player who spent time with her knew first that she cared about them as a person, and everything else came from that place. Her presence was something you could feel before you saw her because she had such light, such positive energy inside her no matter what was going on. I am heartbroken that cancer has taken that light from us, but I know that she would want us to be the ones to carry it on in her absence. I pray we all have the strength to do that for her and her son Lil Thomas."
--Statement from South Carolina Women's Basketball Head Coach Dawn Staley (McCray-Penson's 1996 & 2000 U.S. Olympic teammate and coaching colleague)
"We are deeply saddened by the passing of Class of 2012 Hall of Famer Nikki McCray. She was an inspiration to many through her battle with breast cancer. We will remember Nikki's positive spirit, love for the game and dedication to her friends and family. We hold Nikki's family in our thoughts and prayers at this difficult time."
--Statement from the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame
"We are deeply saddened by the passing of two-time Olympic gold medalist Nikki McCray-Penson. Our sister & our friend, Nikki, was more than a champion. USA Basketball extends its condolences to the McCray & Penson families in this difficult time."
--Statement from USA Basketball
"Our hearts are heavy as we learn of the passing of Nikki McCray-Penson. A beloved member of our WNBA family, Nikki was a three-time WNBA All-Star during her eight seasons in the league. Our thoughts and prayers are with Nikki's family and loved ones at this time."
--Social post from the WNBA
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