by By: OU Athletics Communications
NORMAN – Oklahoma head women’s basketball coach Jennie Baranczyk announced the hiring of former WNBA head coach and WNBA Coach of the Year finalist Latricia Trammell as the Sooners’ associate head coach Wednesday pending approval from OU’s Board of Regents, bringing one of the game’s most experienced professional coaches back to her home state ahead of the 2026-27 season.
A Seminole, Okla., native, Trammell returns to Oklahoma following nearly a decade of coaching in the WNBA, where she served as a head coach and assistant coach while working with some of the league’s top players. Most recently, she spent the 2026 season as an assistant coach with the Chicago Sky.
“The opportunity to welcome Latricia Trammell back to her home state of Oklahoma and add her to our staff is incredibly special,” Baranczyk said. “She has coached and developed some of the best players in the world, won at every level and brings a wealth of experience that will immediately elevate our program. Her knowledge of the game, ability to connect with players and experience leading at the highest level will be invaluable to our staff and our team. Most importantly, Latricia is an Oklahoma native who knows what it means to represent this state, and we’re thrilled to have her back home.”
Trammell became a WNBA head coach in 2023 when she was hired by the Dallas Wings. In her first season, she led the team to 22 wins, the most for the franchise since it moved to Dallas in 2016, and a second-place finish in the Western Conference. The Wings advanced to the WNBA semifinals, while Trammell was the runner-up for WNBA Coach of the Year.
“I’m very grateful to Coach Baranczyk for the opportunity to return to my home state and become part of something special at Oklahoma. I have tremendous respect for what Jennie has built and the culture she has established in Norman. I’m 100% committed to helping us reach the highest of heights in 2026-27 and beyond. I’m excited to bring my experience from the WNBA and contribute in any way I’m asked to. I’m looking forward to getting started and eager to invest in our student-athletes, the Oklahoma community and everything we’re building together. The future of Oklahoma women’s basketball is so bright, and I’m truly honored to be a part of it. I can’t wait to get started.”
Her impact in Dallas extended to the development and success of the Wings’ stars. Satou Sabally earned All-WNBA First Team honors and was named the league’s Most Improved Player, while Arike Ogunbowale was selected to the WNBA All-Star Game. Ogunbowale followed that performance by earning All-Star Game MVP honors and All-WNBA second-team recognition in 2024.
Before taking over in Dallas, Trammell spent four seasons with the Los Angeles Sparks from 2019-22, helping build one of the WNBA’s top defensive teams. During her tenure, four Sparks players earned WNBA All-Defensive Team honors, including 2020 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year Candace Parker, and Los Angeles made two playoff appearances.
Trammell returned to Los Angeles in 2025 as a special assistant to head coach Lynne Roberts. With her on staff, the Sparks finished 15-9 over their final 24 games of the season and narrowly missed the WNBA playoffs. She joined the Chicago Sky in 2026, helping Kamilla Cardoso produce the best season of her young WNBA career.
Before making the jump to the professional ranks, Trammell built a successful collegiate coaching career. She began as an assistant at Texas Woman’s University in 2003 before earning her first head coaching opportunity at Western State, where she coached from 2007-12.
Trammell returned to Oklahoma in 2012 to lead Oklahoma City University, guiding the Stars to back-to-back NAIA national championships in 2014 and 2015. In three seasons as head coach, she compiled an 85-10 record before joining the Georgia State coaching staff from 2015-17.
Trammell entered the WNBA in 2017 as an assistant with the San Antonio Stars before joining the Los Angeles Sparks in 2019.
Trammell will join the staff ahead of Oklahoma’s Oct. 25 exhibition against Southern Nazarene at Lloyd Noble Center before opening the regular season on Nov. 2 in Paris against North Carolina.
