One day after announcing a new general manager, the Connecticut Sun has hired Rachid Meziane as the franchise’s new head coach.
Meziane, a native of France, replaces Stephanie White, who was fired in October after two seasons.
“We are pleased to welcome Rachid as the new head coach of the Connecticut Sun,” general manager Morgan Tuck said in a statement. “He brings a wealth of experience, passion and a proven track record of success that will take our players and our team as a whole to the next level. Rachid’s dedication and commitment to the growth of women’s basketball internationally and domestically brings a unique perspective both on and off the court that aligns with our organization’s values and vision. We look forward to the future under Rachid’s leadership and are excited about the positive impact he will have on our team and our community.”
Meziane, 44, has coached French women’s team ESB Villeneuve-d’Ascq since 2019, where he won the league title in 2023-24 and led the team to a second-place finish in the EuroLeague last season.
Meziane was also head of video analysis for the French women’s national team from 2014 to 2021 and guided Belgium to a gold medal at the FIBA European Women’s Championship last year.
During his time in France and Belgium, Meziane coached several players currently in the WNBA: Kennedy Burke, Shavonte Zellous, Emma Meesseman, Julie Vanloo and Carla Leite.
The Sun is coming off a 28-12 season in which they finished four games behind eventual WNBA champion New York Liberty in the Eastern Conference. In their eighth straight season of making the play-offs, they were eliminated in the semi-finals of the competition for the second year in a row.
On Tuesday, the Sun announced that Tuck is the team’s new general manager, replacing Darius Taylor, who will assume the roles of Chief Basketball Strategist and Director of Scouting.