Georgia Tech coach Nell Fortner, who led US women to Olympic gold in 2000, announces retirement

FILE - Georgia Tech head coach Nell Fortner watches from the bench during an NCAA basketball game against Mississippi State on Wednesday Dec. 4, 2024 in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Stew Milne, file)

Manuel Balce Ceneta / Pool/AFP via Getty Images

Nell Fortner announced Monday she is retiring following 15 seasons as a college basketball head coach, including the last six at Georgia Tech.

Fortner also was the first coach and general manager for the WNBA’s Indiana Fever from 1999-2003 and coached the United States women’s national team to gold medals at the 1998 world championships and the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Fortner won 272 games at the college level and earned coach of the year honors in three conferences. She was named Big Ten coach of the year in 1997 following her one season at Purdue and then coached eight seasons at Auburn, from 2004-12, where she was named Southeastern Conference coach of the year in 2009.