Trailblazing executive Kelly Krauskopf stepped down from her second stint as team president of the Indiana Fever on Friday, the team announced.
She was the franchise’s original president and general manager, guiding the Fever from an expansion team in 2000 to a WNBA title in 2012 before leaving to become assistant GM of the Indiana Pacers from 2018-24 — the first woman in NBA history to hold an executive management role.
Krauskopf, who turns 65 next month, returned to the Fever as president of basketball and business operations in 2024.
“It has been an honor and a privilege to help build and steward the Indiana Fever with the support and trust of [owner] Herb Simon,” Krauskopf said in a statement. “I am deeply grateful for the opportunities, relationships, and shared accomplishments that have shaped my time with this organization. The Fever is poised for an exciting future, and I am proud to have helped lay the foundation for its continued growth and success.”
She helped the Fever become one of the league’s most consistent winners, making the playoffs 12 consecutive years from 2005-16 and reaching the WNBA Finals three times.
“When we started the Fever, Kelly saw what this franchise could become,” Simon said in a statement. “She built it, delivered a championship and came back when we needed her. She has played an extraordinary role in the growth of women’s basketball in Indianapolis, and our family is grateful for everything she’s given this organization. I’m proud to call her a friend.”
–Field Level Media
