Miami (USA) – Víctor Lapeña signed a multi-year contract to be the new head coach of Canada’s Senior Women’s National Team through the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Canada Basketball announced Thursday. Noelle Quinn will also be joining the coaching staff as lead assistant coach accompanying current assistant coaches Steve Baur and Carly Clarke.

Lapeña currently leads Fenerbahçe in the Turkish Super League and has been heavily involved with the Federación Española de Baloncesto (FEB). He's served as an assistant with various age groups including Spain's Senior Women’s National Team earning 14 international FIBA medals including silver at the 2014 FIBA World Championship for Women and another silver at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

"Joining a high-level organization as Canada Basketball is an honor and a great responsibility. I believe the program has tremendous potential as we enter a transition period for the Senior Women’s National Team ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games," said Lapeña.

Canada Basketball parted with former head coach Lisa Thomaidis in September after eight years as head coach of the Senior Women’s National Team. Under Thomaidis Canada earned gold medals at the 2015 Pan Am Games, 2015 FIBA Americas Women's Championship and 2017 FIBA Women's AmeriCup.

Quinn has been involved with the organization in a variety of coaching roles since retiring as a player in 2018, and most recently was appointed as head coach of the WNBA's Seattle Storm ahead of the 2021 season. Quinn previously served as an assistant coach in 2019 and associate head coach in 2020 where the Storm won their fourth WNBA championship.

Internationally, Quinn has competed in several FIBA competitions representing Bulgaria, including the FIBA EuroBasket Women Qualifiers 2017.

"Over the course of the last several years, I’ve observed the growing strength of Canada Basketball and the Senior Women’s National Team," said Quinn.

"To now have the opportunity to join the program, especially at a time when the future is so bright, and to work alongside Víctor and the entire staff, is an exciting opportunity and one I’m grateful to be a part of."

In addition to Canada hoping to achieve a podium in Paris 2024 after a disappointing Tokyo 2020 campaign, the Senior Women’s National Team is also participating in the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2022 Qualifiers, facing Japan, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Belarus in Group C.

Canada reserved their spot in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2022 Qualifiers after finishing 4th in the 2021 FIBA Women’s AmeriCup.

Three teams from each qualifying tournament will advance to the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2022 in Sydney. The host country Australia as well as Olympic champion USA have received automatic qualification for the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2022.

 FIBA