A basketball coach is responsible for directing all aspects of training sessions, competitions, and the growth of a team and players as individuals. Likewise, in today's biography, we will discuss about Vanessa Nygaard, an American professional basketball coach who is currently serving as the head coach for the Phoenix Mercury.
Also, she is a former player of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and the girl's head basketball coach at Windward School in Los Angeles. Hence, please stick with us to learn more about her professional career and personal life until the end.
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Graduated From Stanford University
The talented coach was born on March 13, 1975, in Scottsdale, Arizona, United States. Even though she was born in Scottsdale, she moved away when she was a year old with her family. Similarly, both of Vanessa Nygaard's parents were from Tuscon. Her father went to the University of Arizona, while her mom went to Arizona State. Furthermore, she grew up alongside her two brothers and spent the hot desert summers visiting her grandparents in Tucson.
Talking about the prolific coach's educational background, she attended Carlsbad High School in Carlsbad, California. After graduation, Vanessa studied at Stanford University from 1993 to 1998. She was a star player for their women's basketball team, The Cardinal. Later, in 1998, Nygaard graduated, majoring in American Studies. Furthermore, the WNBA coach attended Gonzaga University in 2015 and earned her master's degree in sports and athletic administration in 2017.
Vanessa Nygaard Net Worth And Career
Vanessa is one of the most hardworking and devoted basketball coaches in the United States. In addition, she spent several years playing basketball, which has helped her carry her own experiences to lead Mercury. Vanessa Nygaard's net worth must be substantial, considering her coaching and playing career.
Earnings From Playing Career
The sportswoman began her six-year career in the WNBA after graduating from Stanford. In the fourth round of the 1998 WNBA Draft, she was selected by New York Liberty as the 39th overall pick. Sadly, due to injury, she missed the 1998 and most of the 1999 seasons, but in 2001 and 2002, she joined the starting lineup with the Portland Fire team alongside the Miami Sol team, in 2002.
Furthermore, the Arizona native also played for the Cleveland rockers, the Los Angeles Sparks, and the Charlotte Sting. She also signed a free agent contract with the Houston Comets before the start of the 2004 WNBA season, but the team released her during training camp. Before the 2005 season, she again agreed to a new contract with the Comets but ultimately decided to announce her retirement.
Similarly, with the Sol, the athlete had her best season in 2002, averaging 7.9 points and 3.8 rebounds per game. Aside from that, she competed in professional basketball leagues in Europe, including Italy (1998), Spain (1999), and Germany (2001), during the WNBA off-season. So now, let's go through her playing stats down below.
| Season | Team | GP | GS | MIN |
| 2003 | Los Angeles Sparks | 11 | 3 | 15.3 |
| 2002 | Miami Sol | 29 | 22 | 15.3 |
| 2001 | Portland Fire | 31 | 0 | 8.4 |
| 2000 | Portland Fire | 32 | 28 | 26.3 |
Table Source: WNBA Stats
After her playing career ended, Nygaard started serving as a coach. As per ONE37PM, the minimum pay of a WNBA player is $58,710. Having played for such well-known teams. Vanessa Nygaard's salary must have been significant.
Income From Coaching Career
The exceptional athlete began her coaching career in 2003 as an assistant coach at California State University, Long Beach. Later, in June 2004, she landed an assistant coach job at Pepperdine University. Furthermore, the Stanford graduate also served in the same position for the San Antonio Silver Stars in 2008 and the Washington Mystics in 2009. Similarly, in the 2012–13 season, she took over as the girls' basketball team's head coach and senior associate athletic director at Windward School.
The school team won three state championships under her guidance in 2013, 2017, and 2018. The Arizona native also served the USA Basketball team in 2017 as an assistant coach, helping guide them during the 2017 FIBA America's Under-16 Championship alongside the FIBA Under-17 World Cup in 2018. Finally, the former WNBA player became an assistant coach for the Las Vegas Aces in 2021, working under head coach Bill Laimbeer. Moreover, on January 24, 2022, Vanessa was named the Phoenix Mercury head coach.
Vanessa Nygaard was named the head coach of the Phoenix Mercury on January 24, 2022. Image Source: Social Media.
Vanessa's contract with Phoenix Mercury must have allocated her handsome pay. Also, a person working as a basketball coach in America has an average annual income of $52,327. Besides, WNBA coach Becky Hammon's salary is $1 million, making her the highest-paid coach in the league so far. Therefore, Nygaard's earnings must also be notable. Hence, we can assume that Vanessa Nygaard's net worth must be significant as well.
Fran Fraschilla is another sports personality with impressive earnings.
Enjoying A Successful Marriage
The Mercury coach shares a happy and successful marital life with her spouse, Kristine Nygaard. The couple's relationship is enduringly strong, and they are profoundly in love. Furthemore, the duo has been together for several years. Even though the 6' 1" tall athlete had a busy schedule, her companion stuck with her throughout the lane.
Moreover, the former basketballer mentioned that she could only do her job successfully because she was blessed with such a wonderfully supportive spouse. Vanessa Nygaard's wife, Kristine, often comes to her team's games and supports them. Also, the former is beyond grateful to have Kristine, and we hope their marriage lasts a lifetime.
Shares Three Children With Her Wife
Vanessa and her partner have welcomed three kids, Emerson Nygaard, Bryce Nygaard, and Avery Nygaard. Unfortunately, the duo hasn't revealed much information regarding their kids as they prefer to keep them hidden from public attention. Among Vanessa Nygaard's children, her youngest son and daughter are twins.
Vanessa Nygaard is a wonderful parent to all of her three kids. Image Source: Vanessa Nygaard LinkedIn.
As coaching is a time-consuming sport, one has to sacrifice a lot of time with their family to devote fully; however, it has been easier for Vanessa as her entire family is very supportive. We hope all of them are enjoying a happy and healthy life, and we look forward to seeing Vanessa Nygaard's little ones achieving milestones in the coming days.
All in all, Nygaard seems to be thriving both professionally and personally. If there's an accolade to be had in women's basketball, she has it. During her notable career, the Phoenix Mercury head coach has earned multiple recognitions and awards for her dedication and hard work. Let's hope she keeps succeeding and contributing to the basketball community.
Trivia And Facts
- She doesn't seem to be active on any social media sites.
- Vanessa is the 2019-2020 Cal-Hi Sports State Coach of the Year.
- Her team Phoenix Mercury's star player, Brittney Griner, was detained in Russia for having cannabis oil and vape cartridges in her bag.
