Kelly Krauskopf returns to Fever as President of Basketball and Business Operations

(AP) — Kelly Krauskopf will return to the Indiana Fever as President of both basketball and business operations after the season is over, the team announced Monday.

She led the franchise from 2000-18 before she left to become the Pacers’ assistant general manager. The Fever won the WNBA championship in 2012 by defeating Minnesota and reached the finals in 2009 and 2015 under her leadership.

Krauskopf comes back to an organization on the rise behind star rookie Caitlin Clark. The team led the league in attendance, averaging more than 17,000 fans at home and 15,000 on the road.

“The WNBA and the Fever have always been a part of me, and it is truly a privilege to be asked to return to lead this team at this unprecedented time of the growth in women’s basketball,” Krauskopf said. “I want to thank (Pacers president) Kevin Pritchard for asking me to join his management staff six years ago. There’s no doubt that experience will serve me well as I enter this next chapter.”

She will replace Allison Barber, who announced this month that she would step down as president and COO of the franchise after six seasons.

Krauskopf was hired in 1996 as the WNBA’s first Director of Basketball Operations. She joined the Indiana Fever in 2000 before the franchise’s first year.

“Kelly’s entire career has been about stepping into critical roles and providing unparalleled leadership, and I am incredibly excited to have her lead the Fever through this historic moment for the franchise and the sport,” said Mel Raines, Chief Executive Officer of Pacers Sports & Entertainment. “She laid the foundation for the success we are enjoying and is a true trailblazer for the sport, and there is no one better equipped to lead us into this exciting new chapter.”