STATE COLLEGE — Penn State women’s basketball legend Susan Robinson Fruchtl joins coach Tanisha Wright on her staff. Robinson Fruchtl, who has worked at Penn State since 2021, will take on a role specific to the women’s basketball program as the senior director of advancement and strategic relations.

“I am ecstatic to have Susan rejoin the Lady Lion program. Being able to work alongside Susan will be monumental as we reestablish Penn state women’s basketball,” Wright said. “Her experience not only playing in the Lady Lion basketball program but coaching as well is invaluable to what we are building. Susan’s expertise in advancement and alumni relations will allow Penn State women’s basketball to soar to new levels.”

Robinson Fruchtl is one of the most accomplished Nittany Lions in the history of the storied program, as the only Wade Trophy recipient in school history. She earned multiple accolades throughout her playing career including an All-American nod in 1992 and GTE/CoSIDA Academic All-American honors. As a rookie in 1989, she won Atlantic 10 Freshman of the Year honors.

Throughout her career, the former Nittany Lion was named to the All-Atlantic 10 team on two occasions and secured the conference Player of the Year title in 1991. She served as a captain from 1990-91 during a season that Penn State compiled a 29-2 record and a no. 1 national ranking in the final Associate Press poll of the regular season.

Upon graduating from Penn State in 1992 with a B.S. in Exercise and Sport Science, Robinson Fruchtl played professionally in Japan. She began her collegiate coaching career at Penn State in 1993 as an assistant coach. During her time as an assistant, she completed her M.Ed. in Higher Education. After leaving the Nittany Lions in 1998, Robinson Fruchtl enrolled at Slippery Rock University to pursue her master’s degree in Secondary Guidance.

During that time, she served as a volunteer assistant from 1998-2000 for the North Allegheny girl’s basketball team. In June of 2000 she took over as the head girl’s basketball coach at Beaver Area High School, where she also worked as one of the school’s guidance counselors. She helped revive the basketball program and led the Cats to the PIAA Class AAA Playoffs in each of her final two seasons. Robinson Fruchtl returned to Happy Valley as an assistant coach on Rene Portland’s staff in 2004, during which time she coached Wright.