McCray-Penson Ready to Compete for Titles at Mississippi State

WATCH: Mississippi State officially introduced new women's basketball coach Nikki McCray-Penson on Tuesday, April 14th.

When searching for the newest women's basketball coach at mississippi state, athletic director john cohen says he was looking for a winner that's exactly what the bulldogs found in nikki mccray-penson...// the newest head coach bringing the experience of 17 championships as a coach and player to starkville... mccray-penson called it an honor to receive a call from mississippi state for the head coaching position.... the 2012 women's basketball hall of fame inductee says she's in a unique position taking over a program that is already in position to compete for championships "when i picked up the phone, and said i'm the head coach of mississippi state, they know who we are.

Obviously, vic has done a great job in that, this program has so much tradition and history in that they've won.

Obviously, setting a standard, and playing in back to back final fours in 2017 and 2018.

Women's basketball is very popular, and it's great to see the growth of women's basketball across the country.

I'm just really excited to be a part of this brand of basketball."

"you're constantly going through your criteria.

I have the index card that has about thirty different characteristics that we're looking for.

I think every athletic director is different in that way.

But, you know, when you're looking around the country, and the same folks are saying the same thing over and over again about the same candidate, it becomes very apparent very quickly that she's special."

Mccray-penson said she's currently focused on the needs of her new players there is no current timeline for a staff, however, mccray- penson says she will build her staff based around player's input of necessities m-s-u athletics also releasing the details of mccray- pensons contract the deal is for four years with a total base compensation of seventy-five hundred thousand dollars