Coquese Washington has been named the fifth head coach of the Penn State women's basketball program, Tim Curley, Director of Athletics, announced at a press conference today.

Washington, an eight-year assistant coach at Notre Dame is the first black head coach for the Lady Lion program, the first black, female head coach in Penn State history and the only black head coach at Penn State currently.

"I am so, so very excited and ecstatic to be part of the Penn State family," Washington, a Flint, Mich., native, said. "I grew up in Big Ten country and it was always my dream to become a head coach in the Big Ten and my dream has come true today."

Washington proved a vital piece of Notre Dame's 2001 national championship team. Since her promotion to associate head coach in 2005, she has spearheaded Irish recruiting efforts, which have produced some of the top classes in the country.

Washington played for Fighting Irish head coach Muffet McGraw from 1989 until 1993, then spent three seasons in the now-defunct American Basketball League before moving on to the WNBA's New York Liberty in 1998. She spent six seasons in the league, the final four concurrent with her tenure as assistant at Notre Dame.

Though never directly connected to Portland, who resigned last month after 27 seasons at the helm, Washington isn't far removed from the former Lady Lion coach. McGraw played for Portland at St. Joseph's University in the 1970s, and current Notre Dame assistant Angie Potthoff was an All-American honoree at Penn State from 1995 to 1997.

Washington earned a law degree from Notre Dame in 1997 and later became the first president of the WNBA Player's Association.